Re: := vs = in some function definitions
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg113279] Re: := vs = in some function definitions
- From: telefunkenvf14 <rgorka at gmail.com>
- Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 07:04:52 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <i9m7u7$j41$1@smc.vnet.net>
On Oct 20, 3:06 am, Sam Takoy <sam.ta... at yahoo.com> wrote: > Hi, > > Have read everything I could find regarding delayed assignment, I'm > still not quite sure when to use which. > > For example, in the definition > > f[x_] = IdentityMatrix[50].Append[Range[1, 49], x]; > > could there ever be any reason to use := ? > > It seems that using := will condemn the function to repeated ext= ra > work every time its called. So could there be a situation where the use > of ":=" for the above function is recommended? > > Many thanks in advance, > > Sam Use := (SetDelayed[]) if you want Mathematica to re-evaluate the expression whenever you call it. SetDelayed[] is usually more appropriate, although you will see Set[] used in dynamic programming examples. Below is taken from the 'neat examples' in the SetDelayed[] documentation: Dynamic programming for the Fibonacci sequence: In[1]:= fib[1] = fib[2] = 1; fib[n_] := fib[n] = fib[n - 1] + fib[n - 2] In[2]:= fib[5] Out[2]= 5 New definitions have been added during the calculation: In[3]:= Definition[fib] Out[3]= fib[1] = 1 fib[2] = 1 fib[3] = 2 fib[4] = 3 fib[5] = 5 fib[n_] := fib[n] = fib[n - 1] + fib[n - 2] -RG