

Is this a contradiction on Wolfram Alpha? - teilo

Consider the two following inputs to Wolfram Alpha:<p>10(0/0)<p>and:<p>x(y/y) where x=10,y=0<p>The result of the first, as expected, is indeterminate:<p>http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=10(0/0)<p>But the second is 10:<p>http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x(y/y)+where+x+%3D+10,+y+%3D+0<p>Is this a bug?
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JoeyS1980
Definitely it is a bug in the Wolfram Alpha.

Mathematically the correct answer is "Indeterminate" but parsing the statement
in a computer science world, both results are correct.

The statement "10(0/0)" requires no reduction of equation. The statement will
translated into "10 * ( 0 / 0 )" but the statement "X(Y/Y)" it requires
reduction of equation into "X" therefor all you need is the value of X.

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RiderOfGiraffes
Pragmatist engineers will say that y/y is always equal to 1, so x(y/y) will
always equal x.

Mathematicians will say that such reasoning has been known to lead to
contradictory conclusions, and the form (y/y) is always equal to 1, except
when y=0, inwhich case it is indeterminate.

You need to choose which universe you live in, and how paranoid you have to
be.

~~~
teilo
So Wolfram Alpha is erring on the side of the Engineers rather than the
Mathematicians?

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teilo
Links to those two queries:

<http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=10(0/0)>

[http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x(y/y)+where+x+%3D+10,+...](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=x\(y/y\)+where+x+%3D+10,+y+%3D+0)

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Freebytes
You put x(y/y) so if y is ever 0, it should be indeterminate, I believe. Both
equations appear to equal the same thing which is indeterminate.

