How to I use Map to apply a defined function to a list?

Question

Problem: How to map a function onto a list. My (example input:

mylist = {{1, 2}, {3, 4}}
gg[x_, y_] := {N[x + y], N[x y]}
Map[gg, mylist]

Expected output:

{{3., 2.}, {7., 12.}}

Actual output:

{gg[{1, 2}], gg[{3, 4}]}

How do I get gg[.] to give a numerical (function evaluated) output of mylist?

gg @@@ mylist. But if you need to use Map then Apply[gg] /@ mylist. — Kuba, May 09 '18 at 20:50

AccidentalFourierTransform · Answer 1 · 2018-05-09T22:40:30.817

3

As mentioned in the comments by Kuba, you should use

gg @@@ mylist

Indeed, this is precisely raison d'être of @@@. If you want to use Map, then Kuba suggests to use the operator form of @@, to wit,

Apply[gg] /@ mylist

Finally, let me mention that if you insist on using Map, then you should redefine the function gg into (hat tip to kglr)

gg[{x__}] := {N[+x], N[1 x]}

If you do so, then Map[gg, mylist] yields your expected output.

edited May 09 '18 at 22:40

answered May 09 '18 at 22:27

Fun fact: the expression Plus[x] can be simplified into +x, but Times[x] cannot be replaced by *x. Seems inconsistent to me -- both Plus and Times are OneIdentity, and I'd expect both of them to behave similarly. Wonder why they don't here... – AccidentalFourierTransform May 09 '18 at 22:29
{+##, 1 ##} & @@@ mylist ? – kglr May 09 '18 at 22:34
@kglr Ah, perfect. I was actually about to post a question on why * is not allowed to be unary as opposed to +. Your trick works just fine, thanks! – AccidentalFourierTransform May 09 '18 at 22:41

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 09 '18 at 22:32

1

mylist = {{1, 2}, {3, 4}}
gg[x_, y_] := {N[x + y], N[x y]}
Map[gg[#[[1]],#[[2]]]&, mylist]

answered May 09 '18 at 22:32

Vink

2 Answers2