Write vector with variables and calculate its norm in terms of the variables

Asked Sep 03 '17 at 21:23

Active Sep 03 '17 at 21:23

Viewed 19 times

I have a vector v defined as follows:

v[x_] = {0.5, 0., x}

I calculate its norm, and expect for it to be Sqrt[0.25+x^2]. But instead I get a number:

Norm[v]
1.71202

I also tried Norm[v[x]], but that gives Norm[{1.71202, 0}[x]]. What should I do so that I get Sqrt[0.25+x^2] as the answer?

asked Sep 03 '17 at 21:23

sodiumnitrate

2

Evaluate Clear[v] and try again. – J. M.'s missing motivation Sep 03 '17 at 21:25
@J.M. That works. Why do I need to do this? – sodiumnitrate Sep 03 '17 at 21:27
2

Because Mathematica remembers everything you did until you tell it to forget. See this. – J. M.'s missing motivation Sep 03 '17 at 21:30

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