Re: Help Defining Variables (with long names)
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg16763] Re: Help Defining Variables (with long names)
- From: Harald Giese <giese at dkrz.de>
- Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 02:24:04 -0500
- Organization: Institut fuer Meereskunde, Universitaet Hamburg
- References: <7d73sq$dvv@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Gutierrez Family wrote: > > Hello to all. > > I'm new to Mathematica and have a very basic question (one that I > haven't found an answer to using the online help - I'm probably > looking > in the wrong place). > > What is the best way to declare variable with a 'long name'? I am > currently using the underscore to separate the words. For example: > > liquid_density_of_ethylene_glycol=1.114 > > Unfortunately, I run into trouble when performing basic arithmetic. > For > > example, if I multiply '4*liquid_density_of_ethylene_glycol', I expect > to get 4.456. Instead I get '4_ethylene_glycol_of liquid_density'. > This is after receiving 'Set::write : Tag Times in _ethylene_glycol_of > liquid_density is Protected.'. > > Can someone please advise? Thank you very much for your time. > > -- Daly Gutierrez Daly, _ or Blank[ ] is a pattern object that can stand for any Mathematica expression. _h or Blank[h] can stand for any expression with head h. Therefore, Mathematica interprets _density as a special head. Mathematica has predefined heads (e.g. Integer, List etc.) but allows you to define your own. Have a look at the Help Browser: Tour of Mathematica: Mathematica as a Programming Language. Regards, Harald -- Harald Giese Email: giese at dkrz.de Phone: +49 (0)40 4123 5796; Fax: +49 (0)40 5605724 Institut fuer Meereskunde der Universitaet Hamburg (Institute of Oceanography of the University of Hamburg) Troplowitzstrasse 7, D-22529 Hamburg