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max -- the maximum of numbers

Introduction

max(x1, x2, ...) returns the maximum of the numbers x1,x2,....

Call(s)

max(x1, x2, ...)

Parameters

x1, x2, ... - arbitrary MuPAD objects

Returns

one of the arguments, or a symbolic max call.

Overloadable:

x1, x2, , ...

Related Functions

_leequal, _less, min, sysorder

Details

Example 1

max computes the maximum of integers, rational numbers, and floating point values:

>> max(-3/2, 7, 1.4)
                                     7

If the argument list contains symbolic expressions, then a symbolic max call is returned:

>> delete b: max(-4, b + 2, 1, 3)
                               max(b + 2, 3)
>> max(sqrt(2), 1)
                                    1/2
                               max(2   , 1)

Use simplify to simplify max expressions with constant symbolic arguments:

>> simplify(%)
                                    1/2
                                   2

Example 2

max with one argument returns the evaluated argument:

>> delete a: max(a), max(sin(2*PI)), max(2)
                                  a, 0, 2

Complex numbers lead to an error message:

>> max(0, 1, I)
      Error: Illegal argument [max]

Example 3

infinity is always the maximum of arbitrary arguments:

>> delete x: max(100000000000, infinity, x)
                                 infinity

-infinity is removed from the argument list:

>> max(100000000000, -infinity, x)
                           max(x, 100000000000)

Example 4

max does not take into account properties of identifiers set via assume:

>> delete a, b, c:
   assume(a > 0): assume(b > a, _and): assume(c > b, _and):
   max(a, max(b, c), 0)
                              max(a, b, c, 0)

An application of simplify yields the desired result:

>> simplify(%)
                                     c

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