Re: Problems with FindRoot and recursive functions
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg89683] Re: Problems with FindRoot and recursive functions
- From: Jens-Peer Kuska <kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de>
- Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:40:52 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: Uni Leipzig
- References: <g35g0m$9bv$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de
Hi,
try
x1[t_?NumericQ] := If[t < 0, {t, 1}, 0.5 + x1[t - 1]]
Regards
Jens
Daniel Kuang Chen Liu wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I have a recursive function of the form
>
>>> x1[t_] := If[t < 0, {t, 1}, 0.5 + x1[t - 1]]
>
> which returns a list of length 2, and the first element has a root at t=0.5
>>> In[3]:= x1[0.5]
>>> Out[3]= {0., 1.5}
>
> I want to use FindRoot to determine t0 such that x1[t0][[1]] == 0, so I use
> the following code
>
>>> FindRoot[x1[t][[1]] == 0, {t, 0.5}]
>
> to which Mathematica complains
>
> During evaluation of In[6]:= FindRoot::nlnum: The function value
> {False} is not a list of numbers with dimensions {1} at {t} = {0.5}.
>
> It would much appreciated if someone could tell me what is wrong with the
> code.
>
> Daniel Liu
>
>