functions
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg40443] functions
- From: Steve Story <sbstory at unity.ncsu.edu>
- Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2003 04:01:25 -0500 (EST)
- Organization: NC State University
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
This is a general question.
Functions like DSolve will solve an equation, say, DSolve[{y''[x] ==
-2*y[x], y[0] == 0, y'[0] == 1}, y, x] for y or y[x]. However, in my few
months of use of Mathematica, it is very perplexing how it works with y,
y[x], interpolating functions, substitution. It is not clear how to use
the results of things. When to substitute with the /. operator, when
not, when to use Evaluate, when not, how to use the output as an
ordinary function... I have had limited success understanding these
issues with the mathematica book. Does anyone know a source of
information explaining these topics so that when I get an output from
for instance an NDSolve function there's no confusion about how to use
it in various circumstances like Plotting and such? It's perplexing.
thanks,
Steve Story