Re: Piecewise inside a Module or Block, I don't understand this behavior.
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg83341] Re: Piecewise inside a Module or Block, I don't understand this behavior.
- From: Peter Pein <petsie at dordos.net>
- Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 05:38:40 -0500 (EST)
- References: <fhjs9v$4vg$1@smc.vnet.net>
Hi Craig,
have a closer look at the syntax of Piecewise[] and remember LISP.
Similar to the double parentheses in
(cond ((condition1 action1) ... (t default)))
in LISP, you should write
Piecewise[{{action_1, condition_1},...,{action_n, condition_n}},default]
in Mathematica.
That's the way I memorized the double curly braces
Peter
W. Craig Carter schrieb:
> Hello,
>
> I have a Piecewise function calculated in a module:
> Here is a simplifed example of something which has a
> behavior that puzzles me.
>
> a[c_, d_] :=
> Module[{e, f}, e = d^2; f = c^2;
> Return[Piecewise[{e, 0 < x < 1/2}, {f, 1/2 < x <= 1}]]];
> a[1,2] (*doen't return what I had anticipated*)
>
> (*However this does*)
> a[c_, d_] :=
> Module[{e, f}, e = d^2; f = c^2;
> Return[Piecewise[{d^2, 0 < x < 1/2}, {c^2, 1/2 < x <= 1}]]];
> a[1,2]
>
> (*The same goes for Block, and putting an explicit Evaluate
> inside the local function*)
>
> (*This behavior seems to be unique to Piecewise*)
> a[c_, d_] :=
> Module[{e, f}, e = d^2; f = c^2;
> Return[MyFunction[{e, 0 < x < 1/2}, {f, 1/2 < x <= 1}]]];
> a[1,2]
>
> I can't find anything about Piecewise, or in Module and
> Block documentation that gives me a hint.
>
> Anyone know what is going on?
>
> Thanks, Craig
>
> PS: I have a work-around:
>
> aAlt[c_, d_] :=
> Module[{e, f}, e = d^2; f = c^2;
> {{e, 0 < x < 1/2}, {f, 1/2 < x <= 1}}];
> Piecewise@aAlt[1,2]
>
> but, I am still curious....
>