Re: Subscripted variables and function definitions
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg65196] Re: Subscripted variables and function definitions
- From: dh <dh at metrohm.ch>
- Date: Fri, 17 Mar 2006 05:45:35 -0500 (EST)
- References: <dvdida$a26$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Hi Geico, I think Mathematica would be much less irritating to you if you would first read the book. See below. Daniel Geico Caveman wrote: > Hi > > I am trying to define a function (using the front end - I will be using > latex syntax in this post to make clear what I am doing) : > > A[k_s_,r_t_,r_k_]:=... If you write r_t_ you are requesting a product of 2 factors. Obvioulsy "1" does not meet this criteria (to test you may use: MatchQ[1, x_y_]). > > Now after this, if I try to output A[1,1,1], it just throws A[1,1,1] back. > However, if I define : > > A[ks_,rt_,rk_]:=... > > it gives the right answer. Two questions : > > 1. Why aren't subscripted variable names treated the same as other variable > names in this context ? > > 2. Is there a way to coax Mathematica into doing what I am trying to do > above ? What you request is, that a pattern of 2 factors match 1 factor. Well, this can be done be specifying a default value for one of the factors by either "x_.": this says that if can not be matched the pattern matcher should try again by replacing x by the global default for multiplication of "1" or "x_:n": here you are specifying the default value of n explicitely > > Mathematica is a nice system, but it has these highly irritating quirks. Hi, make a better one!!! > > > Another (unrelated) question : > > I have a 4x4 matrix which is a function of some variables : > > A:=... (function of r1,r2,r3, ...) > > f:=... (function of the same variables) > > X:=Inverse[A] . f > > Now, I want to extract a ratio : > > X[1]/(X[3]+X[4]) and assign it to a function : > > g[r1_,r2_,r3_]:=X[1]/(X[3]+X[4]) > > A test evaluation of g[1,1,1] throws g[1,1,1] back. Makes no sense at all to > me. What am I missing, and why is Mathematica so unintuitive here ? I think that your are fooling yourselfe. If you define: g[r1_,r2_,r3_]:=X[1]/(X[3]+X[4]) Mathematica will certainly not return g[1,1,1] unevaluated >