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The Wolfram Language:
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Functionals & Operators Video Version

Many built-in functions in the Wolfram Language can use "functional" or "operator" forms.

This gives the element of a list nearest to 6.3:

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This sets up a "nearest function," ready to apply to any specific value:

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Applying it to a particular value gives a specific result:

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Notes for Java programmers:

Java methods do not typically have "operator" forms.

Notes for Python programmers:

The "operator" forms in the Wolfram Language enable the creation of new functions by providing some of the arguments of a built-in function. Similar functionality in Python would require calling the partial function or writing your own custom wrapper function.


With no explicit data supplied, this symbolically represents a selection operation:

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Applying it to explicit data gives a result:

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Which of the following gives a symbolic representation of a nearest function?


After the assignment f = Nearest[{10, 20, 30}], which of these gives the same result as f[12]?


Which one of these is a selection operator?

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