Re: Working with D, definition of a function
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg75969] Re: Working with D, definition of a function
- From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
- Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 03:39:54 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- References: <f26nfr$450$1@smc.vnet.net>
Thomas Schmelzer wrote: > Hi, > > I have defined a map > > ComPath[w_, mu_, bias_] := mu*(\[ImaginaryI]*w + 1)^2 + bias; > Now, I would like to use the derivative with respect to w as a further > function. > > D[ComPath[w, mu, 0], w] > > gives the answer I expect, but > > ComPathPrime[w_, mu_] := D[ComPath[w, mu, 0], w]; > > doesn't seem to make sense > > ComPathPrime[2, 1] > > results in > > General::ivar : 2 is not a valid variable. > > > > If it seems I have a lack of knowledge about the internals of Mathmatica - > that's right. > > Can you briefly explain why this should not work? > > Best, > > Thomas Note that w is the name of a pattern and the function is defined with a SetDelayed. Therefore the pattern named w (and this is also true for mu and bias) is going to be replaced on the RHS by the value provided on the LHS *before* the actual evaluation (or code execution) takes place. That is, when you call ComPathPrime[2, 1], the RHS is rewritten as D[ComPath[2, 1, 0], 2], so you attempt to take the derivative w.r.t. to 2, operation that does not make sense. The following may achieve what you are looking for. In[1]:= ComPath[w_, mu_, bias_] := mu*(I*w + 1)^2 + bias; ComPathPrime[w_, mu_] = D[ComPath[w, mu, 0], w]; D[ComPath[w, mu, 0], w] ComPathPrime[2, 1] Out[3]= 2*I*mu*(1 + I*w) Out[4]= -4 + 2*I Regards, Jean-Marc