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If I have a list containing both numbers and non-numbers, such as

{1,2,3,4,5,6p6,7p7,8,9}

how do I locate the positions in the list which do not contain numbers. So for the above example, I am looking for the output {{6},{7}}. I want to use the position command, but I don't know what pattern to specify.

Thanks in advance for any help.

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    $\begingroup$ Position[{1,2,3,4,5,6 p6,7 p7,8,9}, Except[_?NumberQ], {1}, Heads -> False] ? $\endgroup$
    – Ben Izd
    Mar 21, 2022 at 14:53
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    $\begingroup$ Something like Rest@Position[l, Except[_Integer], {1}]? $\endgroup$
    – Carl Lange
    Mar 21, 2022 at 14:53
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    $\begingroup$ Ah, yes, Heads -> False is much better than Rest. Ben's answer is much more idiomatic than mine. $\endgroup$
    – Carl Lange
    Mar 21, 2022 at 14:54
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    $\begingroup$ another option not using Position is MapIndexed[If[Not[NumericQ[lis[[First[#2]]]]], #2, Nothing] &, lis] gives {{6}, {7}} $\endgroup$
    – Nasser
    Mar 21, 2022 at 18:39

1 Answer 1

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list = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 p6, 7 p7, 8, 9};

All of the following

Position[list, _?(Not@*NumericQ), {1}, Heads -> False]

Position[list, Except[_?NumericQ], {1}, Heads -> False]

Position[Map[NumericQ, list, {1}], False]

return

{{6}, {7}}

Note also that the above work for more complicated structures like the one

list = {{1, 2, 3}, {4, 5, 6 p6}, {7 p7, 8}, 9};

with a minimal modification

Position[list, _?(Not@*NumericQ), {2}, Heads -> False]

Position[list, Except[_?NumericQ], {2}, Heads -> False]

Position[Map[NumericQ, list, {2}], False]

give back

{{2, 3}, {3, 1}}

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