Question about CAS and Graphing

[jte]

(11-22-2014 02:31 PM)Han Wrote:  

(11-22-2014 03:01 AM)jte Wrote:  If you define f as a function in the CAS
...
then in the Function Symbolic View entering and checking
F1(X)=f(X)
...

This is unnecessary. In CAS, simply type:

F1:=f('X');

which evaluates f at the symbolic value 'X' and properly provides a formula for F1.

Excellent point. This can certainly result in an F1 that evaluates faster. With this approach some care should be taken though, at least when f contains CAS operations as F1 may be overly "simplified" (into an inequivalent expression — depending, apparently, on the value of X at the time of assignment, even with "Simplify" in the CAS settings unchecked). After trying a handful of examples I've also experienced some crashes when going to a Function plot view (crashes that didn't occur with F1 defined as f(X) in the Function Symbolic view — but only when f contained CAS operations).