> From: Don Watson > > It is very difficult to express Mathematics on an ASCII page, but I > will do my best. I will use Ric's method of representing Sigma with > a large "E" and "/" for square root. In a classroom, I would want > to develop the mathematical formula - maybe on a blackboard or > Powerpoint - in parallel with an S model. As the formula develops, > it can be tested at each step with the S model (which would be > the same as the J model until we try to store > it). In what is below, the mathematical formula is after NB. > > In doing this, you will note that there is nothing that that > resembles Computer Science. No subroutines, one line only and > no administrative inserts like: program =: dyad : 0. S - or > unstored explicit one line J - is just an alternative language > for expressing mathematical formulae.
Thanks for putting that example session together Don. I think it clarifies for me where you are coming from. To be sure I'm going to put words in to your mouth now, so please correct me as needed. Your position: 1) You want to use an executable notation to teach math. 2) For a number of reasons J looks a likely candidate. 3) You think that the syntax of assigning explicit J to a name will confuse your target audience. 4) You want to be able to just assign your expression to the name using copula (=:) like this: Myname=: <insert expression here> 5) When you do this in J, it automatically assumes the expression is tacit and parses it accordingly. 6) You think that the tacit notation will confuse your target audience and doesn't match existing mathematical notation closely enough. 7) You also believe that a notation should use only primitives and not previously defined verbs (subroutines). 8) Because of the above you have decided the best solution is to come up with a new set of parsing rules that can be used when assigning a formula to a name using copula (=:) . Please let me know if I've got anything wrong. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For information about J forums see http://www.jsoftware.com/forums.htm
