Re: Re: Re: When is a List not a List?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg90985] Re: [mg90968] Re: [mg90956] Re: [mg90947] When is a List not a List?
- From: Andrzej Kozlowski <akoz at mimuw.edu.pl>
- Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 03:25:08 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <200807310656.CAA07700@smc.vnet.net> <200808010659.CAA25763@smc.vnet.net> <4D3584F1-F616-4156-BD7A-9BE63878A8B0@mimuw.edu.pl>
Of course it should have been something like Plot[x /. Solve[x^3 - 3 x^2 + a == 0, x], {a, -3, 5}] Andrzej Kozlowski On 1 Aug 2008, at 14:35, Andrzej Kozlowski wrote: > I am not sure about the "no argument part". First, it seems to me > obvious that one should try to learn Mathematica before trying to > use it, and reading the documentation is a pretty basic part of > learning. Why should you then call something a "quirk" if it is both > documented and even exemplified. > However, there is more to that. In view of what you have been > arguing, perhaps you could tell us if it "seems odd to you" that > Plot does not use different colors in the example below. It does not > seem odd to me at all, and I doubt that even beginners (AES > excepting, of course) will find it "a quirk". > > > Plot[x /. Solve[x^3 - 3 x + a x == 0, x], {a, -3, 3}] > > Andrzej Kozlowski > > > On 1 Aug 2008, at 08:59, DrMajorBob wrote: > >> No argument here. That's the behavior, and we've seen it a thousand >> times. >> A "quirk" is only a quirk the first 100 times we see it, or >> thereabouts. >> (Pick a number.) >> >> Plot COULD assign colors after evaluation, OTOH... the fact that it >> doesn't is a design choice/artifact, not a necessity preordained by >> fate. >> >> That being so, users are entitled to find it odd at first glance. >> (Or even >> second... maybe third.) >> >> Bobby >> >> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:56:56 -0500, Andrzej Kozlowski <akoz at mimuw.edu.pl >> > >> wrote: >> >>> When I wrote "Plot does not evaluate its arguments" I meant it in >>> the >>> usual (although inaccurate) sense that people frequently use in >>> this >>> context, namely: that the so called Evaluator does not pre- >>> evaluate the >>> arguments of Plot (if you do not like to thing of "the Evaluator", >>> another way of saying this is that "Mathematica" does not evaluate >>> the >>> arguments before Plot is applied and leaves any evaluating to >>> Plot.) Of >>> course, you are right that Plot does evaluate its arguments in >>> some way >>> (this sort of behavior is also referred in the often used phrase: >>> "Plot >>> evaluates its arguments in a non-standard way"). The fact that this >>> "non-standard" evaluation results in a plot of a function is >>> actually >>> new in version 6; in all previous versions all you will get is an >>> error >>> message about the values of the function being plotted not being >>> numeric. >>> Anyway, my point was that this has been a normal (non quirky) >>> behavior >>> of Mathematica since version 1 and has been discussed here a >>> number of >>> times. (It must be at least the fourth of fifth time in 10 years >>> that I >>> am addressing this issue on this forum). It is also fully documented >>> (with examples) in the Mathematica online documentation, all past >>> printed documentation and a vast number of books dealing with >>> Mathematica. >>> >>> Andrzej Kozlowski >>> >>> >>> On 31 Jul 2008, at 20:15, DrMajorBob wrote: >>> >>>> But Plot DOES evaluate its arguments, of course, and DOES >>>> (eventually) >>>> see that multiple functions are being plotted. (Else they >>>> couldn't be >>>> plotted.) >>>> >>>> It's just not happening before colors are assigned. >>>> >>>> Nonetheless, it's prudent to take note of what functions actually >>>> do, >>>> and get used to it. Calling everything in sight a quirk serves no >>>> purpose. >>>> >>>> (Paraphrasing Andrzej, perhaps.) >>>> >>>> Bobby >>>> >>>> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:04:10 -0500, Andrzej Kozlowski <akoz at mimuw.edu.pl >>>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> There is nothing at all quirky about this. Yes, >>>>> FullForm[Table[g[x, >>>>> n], {n, 1, 2}]] and FullForm[{g[x, 1], g[x, 2]}] are indeed >>>>> identical, >>>>> but that is because FullForm evaluates its argument. But Plot has >>>>> attribute: >>>>> >>>>> In[2]:= Attributes[Plot] >>>>> Out[2]= {HoldAll, Protected} >>>>> >>>>> so, unlike FullForm, it does not evaluate its argument. In your >>>>> first >>>>> example, Plot[{g[x, 1], g[x, 2]}, {x, 0, 1}, PlotStyle -> {Red, >>>>> Blue}], the first argument of Plot has an explicit List bracket, >>>>> so >>>>> Plot can see that it supposed to treat the argument as two >>>>> different >>>>> functions, without evaluating the argument. But in the second >>>>> case, it >>>>> does not see an explicit bracket, so it treats the entire >>>>> expression >>>>> as the graph of a single function (in versions of Mathematica >>>>> before 6 >>>>> you would not have got any plot at all in this case). >>>>> >>>>> If you use Evaluate in the second code you will get the same >>>>> result as >>>>> you get form the first: >>>>> >>>>> Plot[Evaluate[Table[g[x, n], {n, 1, 2}]], {x, 0, 1}, PlotStyle -> >>>>> {Red, Blue}] >>>>> >>>>> Finally, since you have given ample proof that, in spite of many >>>>> years >>>>> of using Mathematica, you have not mastered its basics (this >>>>> particular issue has been raised and answered a countless number >>>>> of >>>>> times on this forum), why do you keep assuming that the problems >>>>> that >>>>> you keep coming across are Mathematica's "quirks" rather than >>>>> (as is >>>>> much more likely) gaps in your won understanding? What do you >>>>> think of >>>>> first year undergraduate students who whenever they do not >>>>> understand >>>>> something in their introductory lectures claim that it is wrong, >>>>> or >>>>> blame their textbook or their lecture rather then themselves? >>>>> >>>>> Andrzej Kozlowski >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 31 Jul 2008, at 08:56, AES wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> g[x_, n_] := x^n >>>>>> FullForm[Table[g[x, n], {n, 1, 2}]] >>>>>> FullForm[{g[x, 1], g[x, 2]}] >>>>>> Plot[{g[x, 1], g[x, 2]}, {x, 0, 1}, PlotStyle -> {Red, Blue}] >>>>>> Plot[Table[g[x, n], {n, 1, 2}], {x, 0, 1}, PlotStyle -> {Red, >>>>>> Blue}] >>>>>> >>>>>> The FullForm[]s are identical. One Plot[] has red and blue >>>>>> curves; >>>>>> the >>>>>> other has two blue curves. >>>>>> >>>>>> Quirky! >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> --DrMajorBob at longhorns.com >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> DrMajorBob at longhorns.com >> >
- References:
- Re: Re: When is a List not a List?
- From: DrMajorBob <drmajorbob@att.net>
- Re: Re: When is a List not a List?