Re: Strange ReplaceAll behavior
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg36793] Re: [mg36774] Strange ReplaceAll behavior
- From: Andrzej Kozlowski <andrzej at tuins.ac.jp>
- Date: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 04:56:44 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
You really should read about the difference between := (SetDelayed) and = (Set). When you enter your definition f[x_]:=(a+b) /. ru[a] the right hand side is not evaluated. So next when you evaluate f[c] you get (a+b)/.ru[a] and only now ru[a] is evaluated, thus giving you (a+b)/.a->x which is b+x There are several ways to get what you want. One is to use = instead of :=, another to force evaluation of the right hand side with f[x_]:=Evaluate[(a+b) /. ru[a]] yet another to insert the actual rule in the definition of f: f[x_]:=(a+b) /. a->x Andrzej Kozlowski Toyama International University JAPAN On Wednesday, September 25, 2002, at 02:50 PM, Lawrence A. Walker Jr. wrote: > Hi, > > For the life of me I am not sure why the following is not working in my > v. 4.2: > > ru[a]=a->x; > f[x_]:=(a+b) /. ru[a]; > > Why do I get > f[c] = b+x > > and not > f[c] = b+c? > > What gives? > > Thanks, > Lawrence > > -- > Lawrence A. Walker Jr. > http://www.kingshonor.com > > >