Was Yukihiro Matsumoto interested in Math?

[tomot]

I ask that question in light of the fact that there are very few basic math methods available in Ruby, related to the attached pic.

1. no cube root function
2. no sin function
3. no cos function
4. no tan function

Is anyone with superior ruby skills able to create these 4 functions for use within the SketchUp Ruby API ? I would be grateful!

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[thomthom]

2: http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.8.6/Math.html#method-c-sin
3: http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.8.6/Math.html#method-c-cos
4: http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.8.6/Math.html#method-c-tan

As for 1: a simple Google search found this thread with lots of example methods for cube root: http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/191287

[TIG]

For question 1) it's actually the 'squareroot of three' not a 'cuberoot', so this applies http://ruby-doc.org/core-1.8.6/Math.html#method-c-sqrt
Math.sqrt(3)
returns
1.73205080756888
As tt says, there are a range of Math tools available, and making the 'missing ones' like your own cube-root [or any root] method is very easy x**(1/3.0) returns the cuberoot of 'x' - so if x=27 you get 3.0 as the answer...

[Dan Rathbun]

In addition to the standard functions that are always loaded into the Math module, you can load the extended functions into the Math module, by require'ing the library extension 'mathn.rb', ie:

with a path to a full Ruby install's lib directory in the $LOAD_PATH array:
require('mathn.rb')

This math extension, in turn, loads:
'complex.rb'
'rational.rb'
'matrix.rb'

Once loaded... there are many more functions, including sqrt() and rsqrt(), arc and hyperbolic functions. It also creates some new Numeric classes, such as Prime, Rational and Complex, and adds a few methods to existing classes, such as Integer.

Refer to docs on:

• mathn
• complex
• matrix

[tomot]

Thank you gentlemen: much appreciated, and I promise not to do math past my bedtime again. (Unless I forget!)