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How do I get Mathematica to return a function call (conditionally) unevaluated? I expect this may use the slightly-mysterious Hold function.

As a toy example, suppose I want to define AlgebraicQ such that AlgebraicQ[x] returns True or False when Element[x, Algebraics] evaluates to True or False, but otherwise to returns AlgebraicQ[x], just like the other predicate functions do. (I can't just ask if Element[x, Algebraics] == True, because this is itself unevaluated.)

Edit: The first thing that came to mind didn't work, as you can see: With the definition AlgebraicQ(a_) := Element(a, Algebraics), the function AlgebraicQ[Pi+E] returns Element(E+Pi, Algebraics) instead of the desired AlgebraicQ(Pi+E). Parens used in place of brackets because of platform limitations.

I had tried this before posting, but on a recommendation I tried again with a fresh kernel (pictured above) with the same results. I also tried

AlgebraicQ[a_] := True /; Element[x, Algebraics]
AlgebraicQ[a_] := False /; ! Element[x, Algebraics]

based on an earlier suggestion but this seems not to work at all.

Final working solution

based on Szabolcs' answer:

AlgebraicQ[a_] := With[{result = Element[a, Algebraics]},
  result /; MatchQ[result, True | False]]

which tests as expected:

AlgebraicQ /@ {7, Pi, Pi + E}

Out[2]= {True, False, AlgebraicQ[E + Pi]}

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  • $\begingroup$ A proper predicate does not have the behavior you request, but returns True or False for any expression it is given. $\endgroup$
    – m_goldberg
    May 22, 2014 at 13:54
  • $\begingroup$ @m_goldberg: The built-in AlgebraicIntegerQ has precisely the same behavior I'm describing. (How could a function possibly guarantee to return True or False when the answer is not even known to mathematicians?) $\endgroup$
    – Charles
    May 22, 2014 at 13:58
  • $\begingroup$ On OSX and v9 AlgebraicsQ[x_Real] := Element[x, Algebraics] works as you want. $\endgroup$
    – gpap
    May 22, 2014 at 14:07
  • $\begingroup$ @gpap: I can't imagine how, honestly. I mean, clearly that should work if I gave it a non-Real, but for a Real it should return Element[x, Algebraics] because that's what you're telling it to return. Very strange, I'd be interested to learn more about this case. $\endgroup$
    – Charles
    May 22, 2014 at 14:10
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, when I say "as you want" I mean the example you referred to (these are evaluated on a fresh kernel). $\endgroup$
    – gpap
    May 22, 2014 at 14:13

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Here's how this can be done:

ClearAll[algebraicQ]
algebraicQ[x_] := Module[{result},
  result = Element[x, Algebraics]; 
  result /; MatchQ[result, True | False]]

The key to these types of problems is usually a special use of Condition inside Block/Module/With which allows sharing localized variables between the condition and the body of Module.

At this point I should note that the convention seems to be that any function that ends in ...Q will always return either True or False. Consider EvenQ vs Positive. EvenQ[x], with x undefined, gives False. Positive[x] stays unevaluated. I know of only a very few edge cases which don't follow this. Naming this algebraicQ would violate that convention.

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  • $\begingroup$ @Charles - How did you paste the image to SE? $\endgroup$
    – eldo
    May 22, 2014 at 14:58
  • $\begingroup$ @eldo See meta.mathematica.stackexchange.com/questions/5/… $\endgroup$
    – Dr. belisarius
    May 22, 2014 at 16:41
  • $\begingroup$ @eldo Use the image button in the editor to upload it. $\endgroup$
    – Szabolcs
    May 22, 2014 at 16:47
  • $\begingroup$ @belisarius - Thanks for pointing me to the SE-Uploader. This smart gadget should be mentioned somewhere in the SE-Help. $\endgroup$
    – eldo
    May 22, 2014 at 17:50
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    $\begingroup$ @Agreeing with the convention! I strongly hope that WRI sticks to this, minimizing headaches to sort out non-binary cases (True/False/unevaluated). $\endgroup$
    – István Zachar
    Jul 5, 2016 at 12:27
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Your earlier approach would have worked if you had actually tested the argument to the function (a) rather than the undefined symbol x...

AlgebraicQ[a_] := True /; Element[a, Algebraics]
AlgebraicQ[a_] := False /; ! Element[a, Algebraics]
AlgebraicQ /@ {7, Pi, Pi + E}

(* {True, False, AlgebraicQ[E + Pi]} *)
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  • $\begingroup$ Hah! So at least I wasn't too far off the mark, just careless. Thanks for pointing this out! $\endgroup$
    – Charles
    May 22, 2014 at 17:52

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