inf - inf = 0 ??



On 9/7/2010 1:49 PM, Jean Pellegri wrote:
>
> Salut
>
> Maxima says :
>
> (%i)   inf - inf;
>
> (%o)  0
>
> This is obviously incorrect
>
>

not if they are the SAME inf.   e.g.  limit(x-x,x,inf).

More seriously, what would you like to see?   There are various 
proposals, e.g.
here's one.

each use of inf is labeled.   then inf[1]-inf[2]    is different from 
inf[1]-inf[1].

With interval arithmetic, you have similar problems.  e.g.  if  -1<x<1  
is represented by interval(-1,1),
what is interval(-1,1) - interval(-1,1)?   maxima says zero, but it 
should be interval(-2,2).

unless they are the SAME interval.

RJF