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Syntax Questions

UK_9916373
6-Contributor

Syntax Questions

Hello All,

 

Sorry for previous posts did not tag a answer, I am a newbie, will not happen again haha. For this post I am trying to read through some previous mathcad solutions and am unsure what this syntax means, does anyone have any idea? Is it saying if mod(j,2)=0 AND mod(j,4)=2,-1,1) then return 0 (screenshot 1)? I have a older version of mathcad so I am also unsure how to write this in my version (screenshot 2). I have also attached the problem document where I found this (PDF). 

 

Best Regards.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

Additionally to what Alan already explained I'd like to make clear to you that "if" exists in two flavours.

The first one is the if-function which is used in your original document an the syntax was already explained by Alan. Its similar to the if-function in a spreadsheet like Excel or Calc and if nested it can be confusing and quite hard to read. The advantage in Prime is that the if function is not a premium function and therefore can also be used in the free Prime Express. In Mathcad 15 (and below you don't need to use the programming toolbar to use the if-function, just type it in.

 

Additionally there is also the if construct in a program and this is what you had tried, given the picture you sent. IMHO using a multiline program may take up more space but is significantly easier to read (and debug, if necessary).

Here are a few way to achieve the very same result, done in Mathcad 15, which may be the version you are using. I save the file in the format of Mathcad 11 to further increase the likelihood that you can actually read the file.

I hope this helps clarify your question.

Werner_E_0-1634825010961.png

 

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4

if(a,b,c) means if a is true return b, if a is false return c.

 

This can be nested, so  if(a, if(x,y,z), c)  means if a is true then  if x is true return y, if x is false return z,  if a is false return c

 

So, with j as an integer,   if(mod(j,2)=0,  if(mod(j,4)=2, -1,1), 0) means

 

if j is even (ie mod(j,2)=0) then:  if the remainder when dividing j by 4 is 2, return -1,  if the remainder when dividing j by 4 isn't 2, return 1,

if j is odd then return 0.

 

Alan

 

 

 

Thank you very much Alan!

Additionally to what Alan already explained I'd like to make clear to you that "if" exists in two flavours.

The first one is the if-function which is used in your original document an the syntax was already explained by Alan. Its similar to the if-function in a spreadsheet like Excel or Calc and if nested it can be confusing and quite hard to read. The advantage in Prime is that the if function is not a premium function and therefore can also be used in the free Prime Express. In Mathcad 15 (and below you don't need to use the programming toolbar to use the if-function, just type it in.

 

Additionally there is also the if construct in a program and this is what you had tried, given the picture you sent. IMHO using a multiline program may take up more space but is significantly easier to read (and debug, if necessary).

Here are a few way to achieve the very same result, done in Mathcad 15, which may be the version you are using. I save the file in the format of Mathcad 11 to further increase the likelihood that you can actually read the file.

I hope this helps clarify your question.

Werner_E_0-1634825010961.png

 

UK_9916373
6-Contributor
(To:Werner_E)

This is fantastic. Thank you Alan and Werner!

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