In English, the quadratic formula is:
x equals the quantity negative b plus or minus the square root of the
quantity b squared minus four times a times c close quantity close
quantity divided by the quantity two times a close quantity.
In mathematical notation, it is
x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2-4ac}}{2a}.
If you know English, but not mathematical notation, The English version
is clear and the mathematical version is gobbledygook. If you know
mathematical notation, that version is not only more terse, but also
more understandable. So it is with conventional programming languages
and J (or APL).
On 12/25/2011 07:42 PM, Marshall Lochbaum wrote:
> Actually I think the Java (which was in fact Java rather than C, although
> you had no way of knowing) was "if (x>20) return 1; else return 0;". My
> friend proposed this as a more readable version than ">&20" when I
> suggested it. In any case, I stand by my rhetoric; the actual code is
> irrelevant.
>
> Marshall
>
> 2011/12/25 Björn Helgason<gos...@gmail.com>
>
>> It is possible to use the extra unused y as comment
>>
>> gt20=:20<[
>> 15 10 35 21 gt20 'true if one otherwise false if zero'
>> 0 0 1 1
>>
>>
>> 2011/12/25 Björn Helgason<gos...@gmail.com>
>>
>>> If you want to use x as the example is showing you could do it like this
>>>
>>> gt=:20<[
>>> 21 gt ''
>>> 1
>>>
>>>
>>> 2011/12/25 R.E. Boss<r.e.b...@planet.nl>
>>>
>>> No.
>>>> Lochbaum stated it correctly.
>>>> It was you who did not recognize>&20 as a (monadic) verb.
>>>>
>>>> gt=:>&20
>>>>
>>>> 4!:0<'gt'
>>>> 3
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> R.E. Boss
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
>>>>> Van: programming-boun...@jsoftware.com [mailto:programming-
>>>>> boun...@jsoftware.com] Namens Björn Helgason
>>>>> Verzonden: zondag 25 december 2011 9:49
>>>>> Aan: Programming forum
>>>>> Onderwerp: Re: [Jprogramming] Debian Forum comparing J to Brainf*
>>>>>
>>>>> " I once had a friend tell me that "if (x>20) return true; else return
>>>>> false;" was clearer than the J equivalent ">&20". I hope you can see
>>>> past "
>>>>> Then this should be ">&20 y"
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
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