Re: Rational[a,b] vs Rational[1,2]
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg116659] Re: Rational[a,b] vs Rational[1,2]
- From: ADL <alberto.dilullo at tiscali.it>
- Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2011 05:23:27 -0500 (EST)
- References: <ik06g7$gdg$1@smc.vnet.net>
On 22 Feb, 12:25, Andrzej Kozlowski <a... at mimuw.edu.pl> wrote: > Yes, but are there any likely circumstances under which someone might type "Rational[a,b]" (rather than a/b - which is quite different) unless that person knew quite well what he was doing? > > Andrzej Kozlowski > > On 22 Feb 2011, at 10:45, Richard Fateman wrote: > > > > > On 2/21/2011 6:04 PM, DrMajorBob wrote: > >> The head of 1/2 is Rational, but the head of a/b is Times. > > I know that. > > What is the head of Rational[a,b]? where a, b are symbols, not > > numbers... > > > FullForm[Rational[a,b]] > > says > > Rational[a,b] > > also > > Head says it is Rational. > > > BUT IT IS NOT A Rational. > > For example, Numerator[Rational[a,b]] is not a, but Rational[a,b] > > > I am aware of the info about atoms and Rational, and Complex too. > > > However, the situation above looks to me like it is hazardous. Do you > > see what I am getting at? > > Regards > > RJF > > >> a/b//FullForm > > >> Times[a,Power[b,-1]] > > >> Replace looks at the arguments of Times, but it doesn't look within > >> "atoms". Rationals are "atoms", so there you go. > > >> Help explains this under "Possible Issues", and under "More > >> Information", it says: > > >> "You have to use Numerator and Denominator to extract parts of > >> Rational numbers." > > >> Apparently that's the ONLY way to extract parts of a Rational, and > >> that's what we're supposed to glean from "have to". > > >> First[1/2] returns 1/2 and an error message, for instance. > > >> Bobby > > >> On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:30:54 -0600, Richard Fateman > >> <fate... at eecs.berkeley.edu> wrote: > > >>> I find it potentially hazardous that Head[] > >>> does not distinguish the cases of Head[1/2] > > >>> and Head[Rational[a,b]] > > >>> Thus these both get transformed... > > >>> 1/2 /. Rational[r_,s_]-> foo[r,s] > > >>> Rational[a,b] /. Rational[r_,s_] -> foo[r,s] > > >>> but compare ... > > >>> 1/2 /. 2->4 > > >>> Rational[a,2] /. 2->4 > > >>> I'm not saying I'm surprised by this, of course. > > >>> Perhaps Rational[a,b] should be converted to a/b unless both > >>> a and b are numbers. > > >>> Oh, for some fun, try Rational[1/2,4]. > > >>> RJF > > >>> PS, I used version 7. Letting aside the never-ending debate, I anyway think that: Rational[1/2, 4] // N 0.5/4. is a little too much and should be fixed. ADL