Indeterminate
is a symbol that represents a numerical quantity whose magnitude cannot be determined.
Details
- Computations like
generate Indeterminate. - If Indeterminate appears in the argument of any function with attribute NumericFunction, the result will be Indeterminate. »
- A message is produced whenever an operation first yields Indeterminate as a result.
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (2)
Indeterminate is returned when a value cannot be unambiguously defined:
0 / 0
Any numeric function of Indeterminate also gives Indeterminate:
Sin[Indeterminate]Scope (3)
Indeterminate "takes over" any function with attribute NumericFunction:
SetAttributes[f, NumericFunction]f[Indeterminate]Negative precision/accuracy can yield Indeterminate:
SetAccuracy[2, -1]% / %
Infinity in an unknown direction:
DirectedInfinity[Indeterminate]Generalizations & Extensions (1)
Mathematical operations with Indeterminate produce Indeterminate:
Interval[{0, 1}] + Indeterminatef[x] + IndeterminateIntegrate[Indeterminate, x]D[Indeterminate, z]Indeterminate threads over lists:
{1, 2, 3} + Indeterminate{1, 2, 3} IndeterminateApplications (1)
Digits beyond the limit of precision are Indeterminate:
RealDigits[6.7, 10, 20]Create a number of lower precision:
FromDigits[{{6, 7, 0, 0, 0, Indeterminate}, 1}]Properties & Relations (1)
Indeterminate is not a number:
NumberQ[Indeterminate]It is neither real nor complex:
{Re[Indeterminate], Im[Indeterminate]}Possible Issues (5)
The value cannot be unambiguously defined:
t ^ t /. t -> 0
Use Limit to resolve the value:
Limit[t ^ t, t -> 0]The answer is valid for generic parameter values:
s = Sum[Exp[k x], {k, n}]This particular parameter value gives an Indeterminate result:
s /. x -> 0
Use Limit to resolve the value:
Limit[s, x -> 0]Each iteration will result in lower precision:
NestList[Function[x, (x ^ 2 - 1) / (x - 1) - 1], 3`10, 16]
In this case an equivalent function does not lower precision:
Simplify[(x ^ 2 - 1) / (x - 1) - 1]NestList[Function[x, x], 3`10, 16]Sometimes a higher precision is needed:
NestList[Function[x, (x ^ 2 - 1) / (x - 1) - 1], 3`20, 16]Indeterminate does not equal itself:
Indeterminate == IndeterminateUse SameQ for testing against Indeterminate:
Indeterminate === IndeterminateIndeterminate in functions with special evaluation semantics might go undetected:
{And[True, Indeterminate], And[False, Indeterminate]}Related Links
MathWorld
The Wolfram Functions SiteText
Wolfram Research (1988), Indeterminate, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Indeterminate.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 1988. "Indeterminate." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Indeterminate.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (1988). Indeterminate. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Indeterminate.html