RE: First time user - Exact and approximate numbers
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg43634] RE: [mg43631] First time user - Exact and approximate numbers
- From: "David Park" <djmp at earthlink.net>
- Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2003 04:57:54 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Jim, The 0.5 is the culprit. As soon as you introduce even one approximate number (a number with a decimal point) into your expression, the entire expression is changed to approximate numbers. Then your whole expression is evaluated to a single approximate number. Do the following. (111 + 4*Sqrt[770])^2 %//Expand giving (111 + 4*Sqrt[770])^2 24641 + 888*Sqrt[770] Without any approximate numbers, Mathematica now keeps Sqrt[770] as an exact number and does not combine it with integers. You can enter Sqrt numbers by using the button on the InputPalette. Or you can use Ctrl 2 770 Ctrl space. Or you could have used your initial form but entered (1/2) instead of .5. David Park djmp at earthlink.net http://home.earthlink.net/~djmp/ From: Jim Dars [mailto:jim-dars at comcast.net] To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net Hi All, I input (111+4*(770)^.5)^2 and I wish to have mathematica reply (24641 + 888*(770)^.5) How do I achieve this? Presently I'm getting (111+4*(770)^.5)^2 Best wishes, Jim