On Feb 12, 2013, at 10:39 PM, Pedro Giffuni <p...@apache.org> wrote: > (OK, I guess it's better to re-subscribe to the list). > > In reply to Norbert Thiebaud*: > > In the Power rule, which *is* commonly used for differentiation, we take a > series > of polinomials where n !=0. n is not only different than zero, most > importantly, > it is a constant. > > Of course we can use the power function a^b in your spreadsheet when the b > is a constant but you have to understand the assumptions being made before > blindingly applying formulas, and we just can't assume every speadsheet > user will use a restricted set of capabilities. > > Now, in a spreadsheet this formula would be used if you have a polinomial and > you want to calculate and/or graph it's derivative. Since we don't do symbolic > math in the speadsheet you would actually do this by hand and you would > resolve > the trivial constant^0 cases. > > In the case of the set theory book, do note that the author is constructing > his own algebra, and it's natural that he might not want indefinite values > that get outside his set: 0^0 and x/0 are such cases. The text is not > a demonstration, it is simply a statement taken out of context. > > I guess looking hard it may be possible to find an elaborated case where > someone manages to shoot himself in the foot but ultimately I would > wonder. if this author *is* using mathematics correctly. 0^0 is a good > indication > that there is something wrong in your calculation and evidently Excel users > have come to accept it. >
Well, can you then give an example of a real-world spreadsheet where a user has evaluated 0^0 in error and has not noticed it? That would be the claimed beneficiary of your change, yes? So what is the example? -Rob > Pedro. > > *Welcome to this list ;).
