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Re: Functions with optional parameters

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg51945] Re: [mg51886] Functions with optional parameters
• From: "David Park" <djmp at earthlink.net>
• Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2004 02:18:46 -0500 (EST)
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Gregory,

Look up Section 2.3.9, Optional and default arguments in The Mathematica
Book, available in Help.

addThem[a_, b_, c_:0] := a + b + c

addThem[1, 2]
3

addThem[1, 2, 3]
6

Of course, there are easier ways to add a variable length list of numbers so
another example might be more instructive. How about...

combindThem[a_, b_, opt_:Plus] := a~opt~b

combindThem[a, b]
a + b

combindThem[a, b, Times]
a b

combindThem[a, b, Power]
a^b

combindThem[a, b, #1^2 + #2^2 & ]
a^2 + b^2

David Park
djmp at earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~djmp/


From: Gregory Lypny [mailto:gregory.lypny at videotron.ca]
To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net

Hello everyone,

How can I create functions with optional parameters?  For example, a
simple function to add two or three numbers:

addThem[a_,b_,c_]:=If[c is not empty, Sum[a,b,c],Sum[a,b]]

I'm not sure of the proper syntax to test whether c is null or empty.

	Greg