Re: Mathematicas simplifications
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg96311] Re: Mathematicas simplifications
- From: Bill Rowe <readnews at sbcglobal.net>
- Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:21:51 -0500 (EST)
On 2/10/09 at 5:56 AM, kilian at nihilnovi.de (Kilian Kilger) wrote:
>if I type in Mathematica 7 for example
>Select[Divisors[n],SquareFreeQ]
>It gives me
>Divisors[n]
>as a response, which is wrong.
Perhaps this isn't what you wanted or expected but it is
correct. Mathematica by default returns expressions unevaluated
when it is not possible to evaluate them. Until you give n a
value, it is impossible for Mathematica to determine the
divisors of n. Consequently, Divisors[n] returns Divisors[n]
>If I type
>f[n_] := Select[Divisors[n],SquareFreeQ]
>and then
>f[4]
>it gives me
>{1,2}
>which is correct. If I type (afterwards)
>f[n]
>again the wrong answer "Divisors[n]" is shown. What am I doing
>wrong?
Again, n is undefined so Mathematica returns the only result possible.