Wolfram Alpha math result does not meet expectation

Vlad

brotis This is probably better suitable for a separate feature suggestion.

brotis

Vlad I don't understand what you mean by new feature?

Two days ago I got the computer widget for this simple arithmetic, now I get wolfram alpha fraction reduction. There is no way (that I am aware of) to force the computer widget to appear. That seems like a bug?

brotis

I can't really understand when I will get the computer widget and when I will get WA. It matters because I don't need to enter the entirety of my equation when I get the computer widget as I can continue to interact with it and build the result iteratively. If I know I am going to get WA I will have to be sure to enter my full equation in the search box.

Vlad

brotis Yeah I think there is a place for calculator but we need to figure out what a "simple" math query mean which is why I suggested making a feature suggestion. Fwiw you can still trigger calculatuor with 'calc' anytime.

Thygrrr

Sorry to be rude, but COME ON - any multi-term calculation should be automatically interpreted as calculator input.

This query works
200000*48
("9600000")

This query gives a 5th grade school teacher answer
200000*48/1024²
("9375/1024") - literally WHAT? I'd expect a decimal, not a fraction here.

Any reasonable mathematical term (refer to the calculator feature set of, say, G*****), should be interpreted as expected

Vlad

Thygrrr Note you can also type 'calc' to trigger a calculator in Kagi.

Peter_S

For the first query, it would be helpful to have some kind of separation of digits in the answer - e.g. either 9,600,000 or with decimal separator depending on regional settings, or just with spaces: 9 600 000.

The second answer is correct. I would absolutely expect to see a fractional answer here, as that is the exact answer, while a decimal would only be an approximation. That's what is taught and used in higher level (degree and beyond) maths, here in UK at least - maybe it's a regional thing to expect different. No harm in adding a 'convert to decimal' and 'convert to scientific notation' button/option though, and that would be useful.

Edweis

Searching for "3128/12" returns "782/3" instead of "260.666667"

Expected to return "260.666667"

cadawg

I searched for "250/22" and got the above results.

I expect the calculator to give me a decimal value as most calculators would.

barbrzez

I agree - I think the integration with Wolfram Alpha is a bit wonky.

The answers I'm seeing are correct but not very useful 🙂
5% * 150 returns '15 halves'
150 * 5% doesn't trigger the calculator

Vlad

The integration is fine, but I agree that results returned from the Wolfram API (we show what we get) can be more straightforward in cases like this. We are working with their team to improve this, stay tuned!

bert

One idea would be that if a query is prefixed with an equals sign, always evaluate it using the calculator widget, never deferring to an external service.

Vlad

bert it is a fine idea, the problem would be discovery?

bert

Vlad I would consider it bang-like, the way ? at the end of a query brings up Quick Answer, and make its presence known the same way that bangs are publicized. The use of = in this way could also go in the More Info box in the calculator.

I also think a lone = should be the same as the query calculator (and bring up the calculator), which would be a hint that = is how you enter calculator mode, and e.g.,=1+2 would bring up the calculator with the line 1+2 = 3 already entered.

Voxel

Even worse, in some cases it just rephrases the original query instead of actually calculating anything:

I don't mind fractional answers, but it should definitely also include the decimal expansion.

stone

Trying to divide math problems will sometimes result in repeating the equation with a simplified fraction instead of giving the answer.

This is inconsistent across the calculator widget, search results, the search preview, and the !calculator bang

For example:
600 divided by 500 (in preview; proper answer)

600 divided by 500 (after searching, displays fraction)

This seems to happen when a problem has multiple zero's, but is very inconsistent in my testing results:
"60/50" = 6/5
"600/50" = 12
"6/5" = 1.2
"60/50 !calculator" = 1.2 \ a real number that is equal to 6 5ths:

Original query: 6310/730
Original result: 631/70
Intended result: 8.64383562