ode2 return value, was: Problem with differential equation!!!

--- Stavros Macrakis  wrote:

> > Maybe in cases like this, ode2 should return a noun form?
> 
> I like the idea of a noun form, but what noun form would you use? 
> Even for scalar _solve_, we don't have an appropriate nounform
> meaning "the set of x such that ...", e.g.
> 
>        solve(x=cos(x),x) => {x | x=cos(x)}
> 
> What would be the equivalent for a DE?
> 
> I suppose it could be 'ode(...), but that seems rather ugly as a
> mathematical object, unlike 'limit, 'integrate, 'diff, etc.

Well, maybe there could be representations of an initial
value problem or boundary value problem, and unsolved problems
would be returned as 'ivp (...) or 'bvp (...) as appropriate.

But just returning a noun form 'ode2 (...) is OK by me.
If I'm not mistaken, most, maybe all of the noun forms 
in Maxima are the same as the name of some function. Maybe
'ode2 (...) is best by the so-called principle of least surprise.

'integrate is not entirely happy -- surely it should be 'integral.
But if 'integrate is OK, then 'ode2 is OK too.

For what it's worth,
Robert Dodier


		
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