Re: "Assuming"
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg85634] Re: "Assuming"
- From: "Mariano Suárez-Alvarez" <mariano.suarezalvarez at gmail.com>
- Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:31:03 -0500 (EST)
- References: <fp0m11$5u7$1@smc.vnet.net> <fp192b$gju$1@smc.vnet.net>
On Feb 15, 9:54 am, dh <d... at metrohm.ch> wrote: > Hi David, > > we all learned not to divide by zero, but things are a bit more subtle > > than this. > > You claim that (a^2 - 1)/(a - 1) should simplify to If[a == 1, > > Indeterminate, a + 1] and not to (a+1), but you do not give a good > > reason for this. Well, if a is a number, then it is false that (a^2 - 1)/(a - 1) is equal to a + 1 without qualifications... That should count as a reason! In fact, don't you think a reason should be provided for the result 1 + a, instead? You yourself suggest utility for practical applications to be such a reason. -- m