Re: evaluating functions and displaying results numerically
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg126162] Re: evaluating functions and displaying results numerically
- From: Murray Eisenberg <murray at math.umass.edu>
- Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:05:39 -0400 (EDT)
- Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com
- References: <201204210433.AAA29272@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: murray at math.umass.edu
Correct, the result of Sin[1] is _exactly_ Sin[1], whereas Sin[1.] will give you a decimal result that approximates the exact value. This is one of the most basic ideas of Mathematica -- that it can deal with exact symbolic quantities, like Pi or E or Sqrt[2] or Sin[1]. Perhaps you need to read some of the introductory tutorials provided with Mathematica. On 4/21/12 12:33 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 > -- Murray Eisenberg murray at math.umass.edu Mathematics & Statistics Dept. Lederle Graduate Research Tower phone 413 549-1020 (H) University of Massachusetts 413 545-2859 (W) 710 North Pleasant Street fax 413 545-1801 Amherst, MA 01003-9305
- References:
- evaluating functions and displaying results numerically
- From: Eduardo Fontana <prof.eduardofontana@gmail.com>
- evaluating functions and displaying results numerically