Re: Order of operations (was: Eigenvalues &/or eigenvectors,
Re: Order of operations (was: Eigenvalues &/or eigenvectors,
- Subject: Re: Order of operations (was: Eigenvalues &/or eigenvectors,
- From: Nigel Smith <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 16:34:50 +0100
On 15/5/03 11:21, "Christopher Nebel" <email@hidden> wrote:
>
Standard algebraic
>
precedence rules say that the exponent comes first, and *then* the
>
negative; hence, "-x^2" is always negative for real values of x.
...and...
>
Once again, go read the alt.algebra.help FAQ if you still don't get
>
this. <http://home.earthlink.net/~aahfaq/node27.html>
But, and I hate to go against one of the Gods of AppleScript, the same FAQ
states that explicit unary operators are, in some implementations, given a
higher order of precedence than the algebraic negative (which is usually
thought of as being equivalent to "multiply by -1", not "subtract from 0" as
some others have stated).
You guys make it clear that this is the case on page 179 of the ASLG, you
make it clear in compiled code by the spacing ("-2 ^ 2" and not "- 2^2")
and, as other messages in this thread have shown, it is more "natural" to
think of it that way if you don't remember your orders of precedence from
school days -- a big plus in a "natural language".
AppleScript ain't algebra and, to be totally honest, I'd rather AS
development time be spent on almost anything else than "fixing" this...
Nigel
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