Talk:Forward difference
What's the forward difference of one element? --Mwn3d 07:17, 11 January 2008 (MST)
- With regard to pure mathematics I suppose it is undefined. It is natural, however, to extend it by definition so that the forward difference of a list of one element is the empty list. That's how the J code resolves it, too. --TBH 07:31, 11 January 2008 (MST)
- I guess the FD of an empty list should just be another empty list then? These corner cases always get you. --Mwn3d 07:39, 11 January 2008 (MST)
- Yes, that's the way to handle receiving an empty list. (A similar "corner case" has been discussed here.)
One of the things I appreciate about J is how many of these exception-situations have been resolved within the language itself. In this instance both the single-element and empty-list possibilities require no specific code. --TBH 09:45, 11 January 2008 (MST)
- Yes, that's the way to handle receiving an empty list. (A similar "corner case" has been discussed here.)
- I guess the FD of an empty list should just be another empty list then? These corner cases always get you. --Mwn3d 07:39, 11 January 2008 (MST)
It is very nice to see the Python entry. Studying it has improved my grasp of that language. --TBH 09:45, 11 January 2008 (MST)