[noob] Questions about mathematical signs...

[administrata]

Hi! I'm programming maths programs.
And I got some questions about mathematical signs.

1. Inputing suqare like a * a, It's too long when I do time-consuming
things. Can it be simplified?

2. Inputing fractions like (a / b) + (c / d), It's tiring work too.
Can it be simplified?

3. How can i input root?

thx 4 reading

 

[Jeff Epler]

Hi! I'm programming maths programs.
And I got some questions about mathematical signs.

1. Inputing suqare like a * a, It's too long when I do time-consuming
things. Can it be simplified?

You can write powers with the "**" operator. In this case,
a ** 2

2. Inputing fractions like (a / b) + (c / d), It's tiring work too.
Can it be simplified?

Because of the rules of operator precedence,
a / b + c / d
has the same meaning as the expression you gave.

3. How can i input root?

Assuming that you've already executed
import math
Here are some ways to find the square root of a number:
math.sqrt(4)
4 ** .5
math.pow(4, .5)

Jeff

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[Steve Holden]

Hi! I'm programming maths programs.
And I got some questions about mathematical signs.

1. Inputing suqare like a * a, It's too long when I do time-consuming
things. Can it be simplified?

You mean you have to write a*a*a*a when you want the fourth power? You
need the exponentiation operator ** :
... print 2 ** i
...
1
2
4
8
16
32

2. Inputing fractions like (a / b) + (c / d), It's tiring work too.
Can it be simplified?

Surely you jest. Can you suggest a simplification, or have you come
across one in some other language?

3. How can i input root?

Fractional exponents give you roots (sorry about the tiring division):
... print i, 64 ** (1.0/i)
...
1 64.0
2 8.0
3 4.0
4 2.82842712475
5 2.29739670999
6 2.0

thx 4 reading

regards
Steve

 

[Dan Bishop]

Because of the rules of operator precedence,
a / b + c / d
has the same meaning as the expression you gave.

And it's important to note that that meaning will change in version
3.0. Until then, it's best to start every module with "from __future__
import division".

 

[Russell Blau]

And it's important to note that that meaning will change in version
3.0. Until then, it's best to start every module with "from __future__
import division".

You're right, of course, but that's like offering advice about how to shift
gears on a bicycle to someone who hasn't even figured out where the pedals
are yet! ;-)

 

[Lou Pecora]

2. Inputing fractions like (a / b) + (c / d), It's tiring work too.
Can it be simplified?

[/QUOTE]

Can't this just be written as a/b+c/d ? How much simpler can it get?
I would think you need at least one symbol per operation (ignoring
possible algebraic simplifications and transformations for some
expressions).

-- Lou Pecora (my views are my own)

 

[administrata]

You mean you have to write a*a*a*a when you want the fourth power? You
need the exponentiation operator ** :

... print 2 ** i
...
1
2
4
8
16
32

Surely you jest. Can you suggest a simplification, or have you come
across one in some other language?

Fractional exponents give you roots (sorry about the tiring division):

... print i, 64 ** (1.0/i)
...
1 64.0
2 8.0
3 4.0
4 2.82842712475
5 2.29739670999
6 2.0


regards
Steve

Helpful!