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Re: Now I understand that it was an input problem!!

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg45018] Re: [mg45004] Now I understand that it was an input problem!!
  • From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
  • Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 06:06:03 -0500 (EST)
  • Organization: Mathematics & Statistics, Univ. of Mass./Amherst
  • References: <200312120942.EAA24190@smc.vnet.net>
  • Reply-to: murray at math.umass.edu
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Didn't you click the very conspicuous button "How to enter your input" 
at http://integrals.wolfram.com?  It clearly shows standard function 
names beginning with upper-case letters!

In any case, log[x] and LOG[x] and even log(x) or LOG(x) are NOT 
"incorrect format": each is a perfectly possible and reasonable 
EXPRESSION in some contexts.

Thank goodness that Mathematica is case-sensitive.  Otherwise, the 
thousands of built-in names would preclude users from employing similar 
names differing only in capitalization.  For example, I want students to 
be able to define a function log that behaves the same way as Log -- to 
specify the "laws of logs", etc.  And I don't want to force them to use 
contrived names such as mylog, etc.


geoman wrote:
> The integrator at wolfram finally after two weeks of cursing and  Emails and the like, evaluates the following integral properly
>  
> 1/(x Log[x])  =  Log[Log[x]]
>  
> or
>  
> 1/(x*Log[x])  =  Log[Log[x]]
>  
> notice that contrary to some responses I had to include two curved braces as shown.
>  
> Satisfied? NO
>  
> Mathematica is way too case sensitive 
>  
> The problem was that I was entering integrals like this:
>  
> log[x]
>  
> LOG[x]
>  
> But mathematica WANTS 
>  Log[x]     groan!!!
>  
> Mathematica could have saved two weeks of trouble if it had just said "Incorrect format"
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> 

-- 
Murray Eisenberg                     murray at math.umass.edu
Mathematics & Statistics Dept.
Lederle Graduate Research Tower      phone 413 549-1020 (H)
University of Massachusetts                413 545-2859 (W)
710 North Pleasant Street            fax   413 545-1801
Amherst, MA 01003-9305


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