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List of multiple elements

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg112040] List of multiple elements
  • From: "Dr. Wolfgang Hintze" <weh at snafu.de>
  • Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 06:48:34 -0400 (EDT)

Given the list

a={1,1,2,1,2};

we can reduce multiple instances of elements using

b=Union[a]
{1,2}

The question is now how to compute the list of multiple elements.
In our example this would be m={1,1,2}.

A possible solution is

m[x_]:= Flatten[Take[#, {1, Length[#] - 1}] & /@ Select[Split[x], 
Length[#] > 1 &]]

m[a]
{1,1,2}

I'm sure there is a much more elegant solution. Can you suggest one?

Remark

m[a] can be viewed as a kind of difference: m[a] = a "MINUS" Union[a]
Inverting gives the "SUM": a = m[a] "PLUS" Union[a] = 
Join[m[a],Union[a]]

Regards,
Wolfgang 



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