Re: A bug in SameQ
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg23396] Re: A bug in SameQ
- From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
- Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 02:07:37 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: Mathematics & Statistics, Univ. of Mass./Amherst
- References: <8er8vj$hd5@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Does this have anything to do with -0 not necessarily being 0 in machine
hardware?
"Ersek, Ted R" wrote:
>
> I use Mathematica Version 4.0.1.0 under Windows 98.
> For me SameQ gives contradicting results about x1 and x2 (two numbers close
> to zero). Certain other platforms probably have the same problem.
> -------------------
>
> In[1]:=
> x1= $MinMachineNumber;
> x2= x1(1+$MachineEpsilon);
>
> In[3]:=
> {x1===x2, -x1 === -x2}
>
> Out[3]=
> {True, False}
>
> This shows that even the most fundamental features are not completely free
> of problems. Also notice Equal uses a different test and doesn't give
> contradicting results in this case.
>
> WRI Tech Support already confirmed that this is a bug, so don't bother
> forwarding it to them. I certainly hope they will make sure the next version
> does this correctly on all platforms!
>
> --------------------
> Regards,
> Ted Ersek
>
> See my Mathematica tips, tricks at
> http://www.verbeia.com/mathematica/tips/Tricks.html
--
Murray Eisenberg murray at math.umass.edu
Mathematics & Statistics Dept. phone 413 549-1020 (H)
Univ. of Massachusetts 413 545-2859 (W)
Amherst, MA 01003-4515