[Tutor] sqrt?

[Hugo Arts]

On Sun, Apr 25, 2010 at 5:00 AM, Kirk Z Bailey <kbailey at howlermonkey.net> wrote:
> ok gang, My desktop runs 2.5, and for my college algebra I needed to do som
> quadratic equation work. This involves squareroots. So I fired uop the
> interactive idle and imported math. I then tried to play with sqrt.
>
> Nothing.
>
> Importing math does not import a sqrt function.
>

I know it seems like the members of this list work magic sometimes,
but contrary to popular belief we don't actually have the power to
remotely see what is happening on someone's computer. Furthermore, we
are all busy people and we don't have time to guess at what your
problem may be, so until we get some more information, most people
will just assume that you're doing it wrong.

> Now riddle me this: if string.foo makes it do a function FOO on a string,
> whyfore and howcome does math.sqrt not do square roots on a simple number
> like 4???

It does. How did you come to the conclusion that it doesn't? What did
you try? did you read help(math)? help(math.sqrt)? did you google
something like "python sqrt?" Is the math file you're importing the
one you think you're importing?

>
> I am now officiciously pissed.
>
> Help?

We can't properly help you with the information you are providing us.
Asking good questions is not hard, really, and the more you help us
the more likely we are to help you. I recommend everyone posting on
any mailing list to read Eric S. Raymond's guide to asking smart
questions: http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Yours truly,
Hugo Arts

(please excuse the rant)