Re: problems with FindRoot: what worked with 4.2 does not work with 5.0
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg47369] Re: problems with FindRoot: what worked with 4.2 does not work with 5.0
- From: Jens-Peer Kuska <kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de>
- Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 03:16:27 -0400 (EDT)
- Organization: Universitaet Leipzig
- References: <c4u3gg$9l6$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Reply-to: kuska at informatik.uni-leipzig.de
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Hi,
a) change test[] to
test[x_?NumericQ] := Module[{y},
If[x > 0, y = x + 1];
If[x <= 0, y = x - 1];
Return[y]
]
b) call
FindRoot[test[x] == 5, {x, 8, 9}]
Regards
Jens
Edgar Dachs wrote:
>
> I have written a Mathematica program called PET (Petrological elementary
> tools) for Mathematica
> (Dachs, 1998, Computers & Geosciences, 24/3: 219-235) und worked out a
> new version that I tested with Mathematica version 4.2. With 5.0, I now
> find problems that several of my functions do not work any more,
> obviously do to changes that have been employed between 4.2 and 5.0
> concerning FindRoot.
> Below is a little test-function that illustrates the problem: the
> return-value of the function depends on the value of x, as in the much
> more complex petrological functions that I have written, where
> calculations depend e.g. on the value of the temperature.
>
> test[x_] := Module[{y},
> If[x > 0, y = x + 1];
> If[x <= 0, y = x - 1];
> Return[y]
> ]
> With 4.2 FindRoot (using two startin values for x) could have been used
> to solve for a special value, e.g.
>
> FindRoot[test[x] == 5, {x, {8, 9}}]
>
> with the obvious result: {x -> 4.}
>
> With 5.0 the call
>
> FindRoot[test[x] == 5, {x, 9}]
>
> (only one starting value can be specified with 5.0) yields the error
> message: FindRoot::nlnum "the function value {..} is not a list of
> numbers with dimension {1} at {x} = {9}
>
> I would be grateful if someone could help me solving this problem, at
> the moment I don't know what to do, but it looks like a compatibility
> problem between Mathematica versions 4.2 and 5.0.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Dr. Edgar Dachs
> Department of Mineralogy
> University Salzburg
> Austria