Em 30/08/2009 18:37, Schwab,Wilhelm K < bschwab@anest.ufl.edu escreveu:
==================== Let me see if I understand your point then: it is OK in your view that we can do: 1i squared. retuning "-1 + 0i" so a Complex, but (1i squared) sqrt. raises an error? ==================== You apparently do NOT understand. 1i squared would answer a Complex, so it would respond favorably to #sqrt.
Bill on the *present* state of affairs, Ken's description of the problem stands as *I* wrote, not as your analysis. Please observe carefully that once 1i is squared it "becomes back" a non complex number '-1'. THIS is the asymmetry I'm writing about.
================== Or should we follow your logic and even when the imaginary part of a Complex is zero it should not be automatically converted in a real number? ================== Yes. It's not "even when" - just don't do conversions when (you think) floating points numbers match.
OK, then we agree that any operation on a Complex should not coalesce it to non complex anymore.
============ 1i whatever he already made her/his choice to use Complex numbers, right? ============ Right. So don't try to turn it back into a Float and all will be well.
Yes. I see consistency with, although I still think the other way is better :-)