Hi,

  I think similar question has been asked by several people, but I did not find a suitable thread. My question is, suppose I have a probablity distirubtion function like

  p(x,y) = exp(-alpha (x+y) ) x^2 y^2 / |x-y|  , alpha>0

 x,y goes from - \infty to + \infty. This function is normalizable but unbounded, which makes the rejection algorithm a bit difficult(?).

  How to generate samping points from this type of probability distribution function?

Thank you very much!

Hi, 

  I have the following input

***

restart;
with( Statistics ):

a:=2;c:=0.3;
g:= exp(-a*x) + c*a*exp(-a*x);
#f := x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, g );
 f :=x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, exp(-a*x) + c*a*exp(-a*x));

norm_factor:=int( f(x), x=0..infinity );
print(norm_factor);

randomize():
F := Distribution( PDF = 1/norm_factor*f ):
X := RandomVariable( F ):

N := 20;
S := convert( Sample(X,N), list );

print(`cc`,S[1]);

***

The code works. However, if I comment out 

 f :=x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, exp(-a*x) + c*a*exp(-a*x));

 , then use

f := x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, g );

i.e.

f := x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, g );
 #f :=x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, exp(-a*x) + c*a*exp(-a*x));

It is said "

Error, (in Statistics:-Sample) unable to construct the envelopes for _R, try to specify the initial range"

The norm_factors are actually the same for both inputs. What is the reason for the error message?  Suppose I still want to use something like

f := x -> piecewise( x < 0, 0, x>0, g );

,how to fix the problem?

Thank you very much

Suppose I have a table of variables

f[1]:=a;

f[2]:=b;

numelems(f); gives 2.

In case I have not assign f, 

unassign(f);
numelems(f); gives error message.

Is there any simple way let maple detect that if it is unassined, numelems(f), can provide zero?

Thank you very much

  If I use

f:=(a+b)^2;
expand(f);

I got 

a^2+2ab+b^2

This result holds if ab=ba. Otherwise the result is a^2 + ab + ba + b^2

Is there any simpler way to obtain  a^2 + ab + ba + b^2? I looked up http://www.maplesoft.com/support/help/maple/view.aspx?path=dot

but did not find a solution :(

Thank you very much!

The member function can provide the position of x in table/list s for the first variable

e.g.

f:=[a,b,c,a,a];
member(a,f,'p');

will provide p=1

If I would like to know the position of all a, [1,4,5], is there any simple way to obtain them? I can do something like

n:=0;

for i from 1 to 5 do

 if f[i]='a' then

  n:=n+1;

  p[n]:=i;

 end if;

end do;

something like that

Thank you very much