Re: Re: Numerical Optimization involving equation solving
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg56061] Re: [mg56005] Re: [mg55969] Numerical Optimization involving equation solving
- From: DrBob <drbob at bigfoot.com>
- Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 08:56:04 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <200504120926.FAA27654@smc.vnet.net> <200504130510.BAA09570@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: drbob at bigfoot.com
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
By the way, (stuff;Return[ans];) should be simply (stuff;ans)
Usually there are local variables (needed only within the function), so you'd have Block[{locals},stuff;ans] or the same using With or Module in place of Block. Blocking the local/temporary variables helps prevent "side-effects" of a function execution.
There's no need for Return, Break, Continue, Goto, or Label unless you have a "spagetti-code" addiction you're unwilling to break. The sooner you abandon it, the more you'll get out of Mathematica's functional paradigm.
Bobby
On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 01:10:42 -0400 (EDT), Chris Chiasson <chris.chiasson at gmail.com> wrote:
> try changing the "definition of the f function" so that it "only
> accepts numerical arguments".
> f[x_?NumericQ]:=(stuff;Return[ans];)
>
> On Apr 12, 2005 5:26 AM, Brian Rogers <brifry at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I need to optimize a function of one variable, say
>> f[x_]:=(stuff;Return[ans];). Computing the value of f requires solving
>> a (non-linear) system of equations that depend on x, and using this
>> solution to compute some other things.
>>
>> Now, evaluating f at a numerical value of x works just fine, and I can
>> even plot f (using Plot[f[x],{x,0,1}]) and eyeball the optimum. By the
>> way, f is a very well behaved function--it is typically smooth and
>> globally convex. However, what I really want to do is use FindMinimum
>> (or NMinimize) to numerically return the optimum. When I use either of
>> these built-in functions, they crash. I believe that they are first
>> trying to evaluate f[x] symbolically--which would understandably cause
>> it to crash because the system of equations doesn't have a closed form
>> solution in x.
>>
>> I've tried using the "Compiled" option with no luck. How can I force
>> FindMinimum to use a purely numerical procedure to optimize my
>> function?
>>
>> Any help is greatly appreciated, and please copy any reply to
>> brifry at gmail.com.
>> Thanks!
>>
>>
>
>
--
DrBob at bigfoot.com
- References:
- Numerical Optimization involving equation solving
- From: "Brian Rogers" <brifry@gmail.com>
- Re: Numerical Optimization involving equation solving
- From: Chris Chiasson <chris.chiasson@gmail.com>
- Numerical Optimization involving equation solving