Re: Defining assumptions globally
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg95990] Re: Defining assumptions globally
- From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
- Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:43:50 -0500 (EST)
- Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- References: <glvkeq$e67$1@smc.vnet.net>
In article <glvkeq$e67$1 at smc.vnet.net>,
Kay-Michael Voit <usenet1 at voits.net> wrote:
> is it possible to define assumptions globally?
>
> This is my (simplified) problem:
> To calculate certain quantities I wrote some modules like
>
> cE[n_,0,s_]:=Module[{},
> cE[n,0,s]= E[n-1,0,s] Integrate[W[x,s],{s,0,1}]
> ]
>
> (cE[0,0,s] is of course defined)
>
> Later I would like to use for example
>
> : [Module-Def]
>
>
> Now, W might be quite complicated, so Integrate might need assumptions.
> is there a better way than
>
> : WAssumptions={}
> cE[n_,0,s_]:=Module[{},
> cE[n,0,s]= E[n-1,0,s]
> Integrate[W[x,s],{s,0,1},Assumptions->WAssumptions]
> ]
> : WAssumptions={a>0}
> W[x_,s_]= a ...;
> : cE[n]
You could modify the global system variable $Assumptions, which "is the
default setting for the Assumptions option used in such functions as
Simplify, Refine and Integrate. (From the online help.)"
The advantage in doing so is that you do not have to use or set
explicitly the option Assumptions in each command for your assumptions
to be taken into account.
In[1]:= Integrate[x^a, {x, 0, 1}]
Out[1]= If[Re[a] > -1, 1/(1 + a),
Integrate[x^a, {x, 0, 1}, Assumptions -> Re[a] <= -1]]
In[2]:= Integrate[x^a, {x, 0, 1}, Assumptions -> a > 0]
Out[2]= 1/(1 + a)
In[3]:= $Assumptions = a > 0
Out[3]= a > 0
In[4]:= Integrate[x^a, {x, 0, 1}]
Out[4]= 1/(1 + a)
Regards,
--Jean-Marc