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Sometimes <space> means multiple , sometimes not

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg75307] Sometimes <space> means multiple , sometimes not
• From: siewsk at bp.com
• Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 05:27:00 -0400 (EDT)

As a newbie, I was taught that <space> character in Mathematica means
multiple. But sometimes it does not.

For example:

4<space>2  gives 8

but

-4<space>-2 does not give -8

This strange behavior can be show below

In[1]:= 4 2   (* 4<space>2 *)
Out[1]= 8

In[2]:= 4 +2   (* 4<space>+2 *)
Out[2]= 6

In[3]:= +4 2   (* +4<space>2 *)
Out[3]= 8

In[4]:= +4 +2   (* +4<space>+2 *)
Out[4]= 6

In[5]:= +4 -2  (* +4<space>-2 *)
Out[5]= 2

In[6]:= 4 -2   (* 4<space>-2 *)
Out[6]= 2

In[7]:= -4 -2  (* -4<space>-2 *)
Out[7]= -6

In[8]:= -4 2  (* -4<space>2 *)
Out[8]= -8

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Sometimes <space> means multiple , sometimes not
    • From: Murray Eisenberg <murray@math.umass.edu>