Timeline for Why does the assignment operator assign to the left-hand side?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
18 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Aug 8, 2011 at 16:05 | vote | accept | voithos | ||
| Aug 5, 2011 at 8:27 | comment | added | user8709 | @Petruzza - but there is sequentiality. Mathematical documents are written from start to end, the same as any other document. If I assert x = 1 in chapter one, but assert x = 2 in chapter two, that isn't some terrible contradiction - each assertion applies only within a certain context. The difference in imperative programming is partly the removal of a barrier (we don't need a change of context), and partly about implementation and usefulness. | |
| S Aug 5, 2011 at 5:46 | history | suggested | surfasb | CC BY-SA 3.0 | since -> sense |
| Aug 5, 2011 at 5:36 | review | Suggested edits | |||
| S Aug 5, 2011 at 5:46 | |||||
| Aug 4, 2011 at 18:47 | comment | added | Petruza | I don't know mathematics anywhere near a PhD, what I state is that as there is no sequentiality, there's no order of execution in mathematics both in an assignment or in an equality, unlike programming, in which both sides of an assignment can be different at some point in time, and they end up being equal at some other point in time. But in mathematics, in an assignment like let a be... as there is no time, both sides of the assignment are equal as well, so the assignment is in fact an equality, no wonder why both use the same sign: = | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 16:00 | comment | added | Jonathan Henson | @FarmBoy, My favorite before becoming a developer was Real Analysis and Complex Analysis. Also I am obsessed with Euler. However, now that I see its application in my field and have a way to enjoy it, my favorites are Abstract Algebra and Number Theory. | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 14:45 | comment | added | Eric Wilson | @JohanthanHenson Topology. And thanks for providing a good example of the various meanings of '='. | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 14:31 | comment | added | Jonathan Henson | @Petruza, I would like to add as proof that context tells us whether or not we are assigning or evaluating equality. |x + y|^2 = < x + y, x + y > is a very famous equality. Also, if I was proving this I might even write--not really, I would use the Schwarz, but this is an example so whatever-- : Suppose that | x + y |^2 = <x+y, x+y> then .... This would be similar in language though maybe not completely in function to if(|x + y|^2 == <x+y, x+y>) { ... }. Anyways, my point is, context is indeed the determining factor. | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 14:21 | history | edited | Jonathan Henson | CC BY-SA 3.0 | added 18 characters in body |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 14:18 | comment | added | Jonathan Henson | @FarmBoy, I too am a Mathematician, though I don't have a Ph.D. What was your emphasis? | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 12:32 | comment | added | Eric Wilson | @Petruza No, in mathematics assignment and equality are not the same thing. If I say 'Let x = 2y - 3' it is different from 'Thus x = 2y - 3'. I math, typically context differentiates them. Since The comment disputing me was so universally acclaimed, I'll mention that I do have a Ph.D. in mathematics, I'm pretty sure about this. | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 6:00 | comment | added | Peer Stritzinger | @FB except in some single assignment functional languages like e.g. Erlang. Assignment and Assuring equality are the same like in mathematics | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 4:30 | comment | added | Javier | @FarmBoy: right, mathematically the equalities are symetric, but assignments aren't equalities. Still, when defining terms, (which are closer to assignments) the most used form is by far to put the newly defined term at the left. That makes assignments much more readable for anybody that's comfortable with mathematical notations. | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 3:17 | comment | added | Petruza | @FarmBoy: in mathematics, assignment and equality ARE the same thing, as there is no sequence in a formula as there is in computers. ( a equals b and at the same time b equals a ) | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 2:05 | comment | added | Eric Wilson | Mathematicians actually are ambiguous, sometimes using = for assignment, and sometimes to indicate equality. But never to assign to the right, so you are essentially correct. | |
| Aug 4, 2011 at 1:39 | history | edited | Jonathan Henson | CC BY-SA 3.0 | deleted 2 characters in body |
| Aug 3, 2011 at 22:51 | history | edited | Adam Lear♦ | CC BY-SA 3.0 | added 1 characters in body |
| Aug 3, 2011 at 22:27 | history | answered | Jonathan Henson | CC BY-SA 3.0 |