Re: Re: How to ...?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg36363] Re: [mg36334] Re: [mg36309] How to ...?
- From: Jack Goldberg <jackgold at umich.edu>
- Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2002 01:41:05 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Hi,
I have spent an enormous amount of time (far too much) on this question.
Indeed, I have just completed a program that handles all sorts of
"piecewise defined" functions. I am in the process of writing it up to
offer it to all of you. In my opinion the best, cleansest method is to
invoke the UnitStep function as illustrated in David Park's solutions.
To make everything cleaner, define a characteristic function
Chi[x_,a_,b_] := UnitStep[x-a]-UnitStep[x-b]
This function is continuous on the right, vanishes outside of [a,b) and is
one in the half-open interval [a,b). Now your answer is
x^2 Chi[x,0,6] + (x+1) Chi[x,6,Infinity]
The integrator handles UnitSteps easily and smoothly.
My program handles these cases easily and many more, including such
oddities as Integrate[Abs[x],x] and (for amusement sake only)
UnitStep[ Abs[x]-Sign[x]+3]
Another virtue of this approach (also handled in my program) is the
peculiar error messages and poor answers given by NIntegrate for simple
piecewise continuous functions at jump discontinuites. The limit function
also fails dismally on some examples where it really shouldn't
I am rather naive about how to transmit programs to interested users, so
if you would like a copy of my program and about 100 worked examples, I
will be glad to send them to you IF YOU TELL ME HOW TO DO IT!
Regards to all,
Jack Goldberg
On Mon, 2 Sep 2002 BobHanlon at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 8/31/02 1:58:36 AM, berlusconi_pagliusi at fis.unical.it
> writes:
>
>
> > I'd like to use Mathematica 4.0 to write a function having different
> > expressions in different domain's intervals.
> > Let's say:
> >
> > F[x_]= x^2 if 0<x<6
> > x+1 if x>=6
> >
> > I know It's a stupid syntax problem, but I really do not know how/where to
> > search the solution on the Mathematica Book
> >
>
> Just for grins here are several methods:
>
> f1[x_/;x<=0] := 0 ;
>
> f1[x_/;0<x<6] := x^2 ;
>
> f1[x_/;x>=6] := x+1;
>
>
> f2[x_] :=
>
> x^2*UnitStep[x]+(x+1-x^2)*UnitStep[x-6];
>
>
> f3[x_] := Which[
>
> x<=0, 0,
>
> 0<x<6, x^2,
>
> x>=6, x+1];
>
>
> f4[x_] := If[0<x<6,x^2,
>
> If[x>=6, x+1,0]];
>
>
> f5[x_] := Switch[x,
>
> _?(#<=0&), 0,
>
> _?(0<#<6&), x^2,
>
> _?(#>=6&), x+1 ]
>
>
> f6[x_?NumericQ] :=
>
> {0,x^2,x+1}[[Position[
>
> {x<=0,0<x<6,x>=6}, True][[1,1]]]];
>
>
> Needs["Calculus`Integration`"];
>
> (* needed for definition of Boole *)
>
>
> f7a[x_?NumericQ] := Evaluate[
>
> (Boole /@ {0<x<6,x>=6}).
>
> {x^2,x+1}];
>
>
> Off[Part::pspec];
>
> f7b[x_?NumericQ] := Evaluate[
>
> {0,x^2,x+1}[[1+Tr[Boole /@ {x>0, x>=6}]]]];
>
>
> f8[x_?NumericQ] := Cases[
>
> {{x<=0, 0}, {0<x<6, x^2}, {x>=6, x+1}},
>
> {True, z_} :>z][[1]];
>
>
> f9[x_?NumericQ] := DeleteCases[
>
> {{x<=0, 0}, {0<x<6, x^2}, {x>=6, x+1}},
>
> {False, z_}][[1,2]];
>
>
> f10[x_?NumericQ] := Select[
>
> {{x<=0, 0}, {0<x<6, x^2}, {x>=6, x+1}},
>
> First[#]&][[1,2]];
>
>
> f11[x_?NumericQ] := Last[Sort[
>
> {{x<=0, 0}, {0<x<6, x^2}, {x>=6, x+1}}]][[2]];
>
>
> f12[x_?NumericQ] := Module[{n=1},
>
> While[{x<6,x<0, False}[[n]], n++];
>
> {x+1,x^2,0}[[n]]];
>
>
> Generating some test points:
>
> ts = {Random[Real,{-5,0}],0, Random[Real,{0,6}],6,Random[Real,{6,15}]};
>
>
> Checking the different representations
>
> Equal[(# /@ pts)& /@ {f1,f2,f3,f4,f5,f6,f7a,f7b,f8,f9,f10,f11,f12}]
>
>
> True
>
> To pick a favorite, look at how the different definitions behave.
>
>
> Of the definitions that evaluate with symbolic input, only f2 and f4
> simplify with assumptions
> . For example,
>
> FullSimplify[#[x]& /@ {f2,f4}, 1<x<3]
>
>
> f2 through f5 respond immediately to differentiation
>
>
> #'[x]& /@ {f2,f3,f4,f5} // Simplify //ColumnForm
>
>
> Only f2 responds immediately to integration
>
>
> Integrate[f2[x],x]//Simplify
>
> Consequently, f2 (UnitStep) appears to be the most versatile.
>
>
> Bob Hanlon
> Chantilly, VA USA
>
>