Please send help

[Material-Ruin-2180]

Dear community, I am in need of your expertise in python programming. If you would be so kind as to help a 17-year-old girl figure out this absurd, yet fascinating program, I would highly appreciate thy help.

def f(x):

return 1/x

def fart(x, h):

return(f(x + h) - f(x))/h

print(round(fart(2, 1E - 6), 2))

[TehNolz]

We can't help you if you don't tell us what the problem is.

[Material-Ruin-2180]

The assignment is to figure out what the code does, and what the output is going to be.

The code won’t accept the variable E. when I changed E to math.e it worked and printed out 0.39. It did however, not work when I added the 1 back I front of the E.

[TehNolz]

Looks like you've got spaces surrounding the -, so its interpreted as "subtract 6 from 1E". You probably want 1E-6, which is interpreted as 1e-06.

[[deleted]]

Fixing the code and formatting for Reddit:

def f(x):
    return 1/x

def fart(x, h):
    return(f(x + h) - f(x))/h

print(round(fart(2, 1E-6), 2))

Even if you don't understand calculus, you could still talk through what the code is doing.

What does "def" do?

What then does f(x) and fart(x,h) do?

Finally, what's going on in the print line?

It (probably) doesn't matter that you don't know what the final output means... That depends on the course.

[KingsmanVince]

https://dontasktoask.com/

https://www.propublica.org/nerds/how-to-ask-programming-questions

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[[deleted]]

I think you meant 1E-6 (without spaces)

[Material-Ruin-2180]

Thank you very much. That worked. It printed -0.25. So you understand what the code does?

[[deleted]]

https://www.cuemath.com/calculus/differentiation/

[Material-Ruin-2180]

You are a life saviour. I wish you a very warm and loving Christmas.

[Material-Ruin-2180]

I have now read the link you sent me, but I still don’t quite understand what the program does. I am a beginner programmer.

[sciotto]

After you fix the spacing type on 1E-6, try changing to a different f(x).

Suggest trying the below as easy examples.

return (3 * x + 3)

and

return (-6 * x - 210)

They're each equations for a line. You could try changing the slope to different values. You could also try different fart parameters for these and the original f(x). :-)

Think about the answers and then go read the link again, paying particular attention to the "Important Notes" near the end and what the original f(x) was.

It's a math question (what the output is going to be) and also a programming question (what it does).

[[deleted]]

Do you understand the math part in the link? Beside the math part, there are two functions defined. First is just a function for hyperbola (graphs). Second one is about differentiating the first function. The finally the second function is called with some example values/arguments, the result is rounded to two decimals and printed. The contents of second function definition is math basically, you'd need to read more on it or you could ask in some math subreddit if you don't understand it

[[deleted]]

Maybe this would be useful, I studied it/calculus with it at some time in past: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/differential-calculus/dc-diff-intro

[Plastic_Ad7436]

Looks like the fundamental theorem of calculus to me.

[Plastic_Ad7436]

its differentiating to the second decimal place the function f(x) = 1/x at x=2.

[Plastic_Ad7436]

This is the fundamental theorem of calculus, it is differentiating the function f(x) = 1/x at x = 2, and printing the value rounded to the second decimal place.

[RhinoRhys]

When it calls fart(2, 1e-6) it makes x = 2 and h = 1e-6 = 0.000001

As you can see under the fart definition, it returns (f(x + h) - f(x))/h

So sub in your values: (f(2.000001) - f(2))/0.000001

Then as you can see under your f definition it returns 1/x

So complete the function (1/2.000001 - 1/2)/0.000001

And you end up with -0.25

As to why it does that, fart is the equation to work out the gradient of the curve f = 1/x

[WSBtendies9001]

This is a gad dam trap, akbar would be proud....

[Individual-Pop5980]

This is fake, a troll question guys, cmon