Re: comparing finite fields elements with == or != doesn't work?!?!
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg71371] Re: comparing finite fields elements with == or != doesn't work?!?!
- From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
- Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:52:54 -0500 (EST)
- Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
- References: <ejeulg$1h0$1@smc.vnet.net>
xarnaudx at gmail.com wrote:
> just try this out:
>
> << Algebra`FiniteFields`
> F = GF[7];
> Print[F[{1}] != F[{2}]];
>
> => doesn't work. It's simply not evaluated.
>
> So the question is: how on earth to compare if finite fields elements
> are equal/different?!?
>
The bottom of the help page for the package might be of interest:
----------------------------------------------
Compatibility with Other Mathematica Functions
----------------------------------------------
Most Mathematica functions are *not*, indeed cannot be, designed to work
over arbitrary fields. [...] At best, such functions will not do
anything when given such an expression.
You can generally expect these functions to treat the field object as an
/unknown symbol/. [...] The types of functions that might reasonably be
expected to work are linear algebra and polynomial functions.
[...]
See
http://documents.wolfram.com/mathematica/Add-onsLinks/StandardPackages/Algebra/FiniteFields.html
Regards,
Jean-Marc