[WP34s] Regularized incomplete Beta function

[Thomas Klemm]

(05-01-2014 09:55 PM)Paul Dale Wrote:  I don't see any benefit to reordering them any differently from what they are currently but am willing to be convinced otherwise.

It violates the principle of least astonishment.

With these functions the parameters are entered in the same order as they appear in the function:

COMB:
n k \(\rightarrow C(n, k)\)

PERM:
n k \(\rightarrow P(n, k)\)

/:
y x \(\rightarrow \frac{y}{x}\)

y^x:
y x \(\rightarrow y^x\)

\(\int\):
y x \(\rightarrow \int_y^x\)

P_n:
n x \(\rightarrow P_n(x)\)


With these function the parameters are entered in the reverse order:

LOG_x:
y x \(\rightarrow Log(x, y)\)

\(\gamma_{XY}\):
y x \(\rightarrow \gamma(x, y)\)

\(I\beta\):
b a z \(\rightarrow I_\beta(z, a, b)\)


IMHO that's not consistent. Of course you are free to define it the way you want. But then there are conventions. Thus we have to remember which of the functions follow it. Or then we always have to use a manual or reference guide.

Cheers
Thomas


PS: There are two exceptions: \(\rightarrow POL\) and \(\rightarrow REC\).
But I look at them as coordinate transformations that use x and y from the stack.
For the same reason the complex operations use this order.