Re: evaluating functions and displaying results numerically
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg126170] Re: evaluating functions and displaying results numerically
- From: "Kevin J. McCann" <kjm at KevinMcCann.com>
- Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:08:25 -0400 (EDT)
- Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com
- References: <jmtdec$sjd$1@smc.vnet.net>
The output Sin[1] is what is called an "exact", i.e. you gave Mathematica an exact input 1, not 1.0; so, Mathematica returned an exact. If you want a function to give a numerical, i.e. machine precision output, do something like this: Sin[1]//N or N[Sin[1]] That is, wrap the result in N[], the number function. Cheers, Kevin On 4/21/2012 12:35 AM, Eduardo Fontana wrote: > Once in a while a face a problem with Mathematica in which I cannot > get a straightforward numerical output. > I have a function defined in mathematica, I try to evaluate the > function with numerical arguments and mathematica returns a replica of > my function with the same arguments. It must be something I set > without noticing. I cannot get numerical results at all. > In another instance, I have a summation of about 1000 terms defined as > a function of 3 arguments. When I use numerical arguments, instead of > Mathematica calculating a numerical result it generates a symbolic > output with all 1000 terms. Even if a try something very simple such > as > In[1]: Sin[1] > the output is > Out[1]: Sin[1] > Could anyone give me a clue on this? > regards >