The R Project SVN R

\name{is.finite}
\title{Finite, Infinite and NaN Numbers}
\usage{
is.finite(x)
is.infinite(x)
Inf
NaN
is.nan(x)
}
\alias{is.finite}
\alias{is.infinite}
\alias{Inf}
\alias{NaN}
\alias{is.nan}
\description{
  \code{is.finite} and \code{is.infinite} return a vector of the same
  length as \code{x}, indicating which elements are finite (not infinite
  and not missing).

  \code{Inf} and \code{-Inf} are positive and negative \dQuote{infinity}
  whereas \code{NaN} means \dQuote{Not a Number}.
}
\arguments{
  \item{x}{(numerical) object to be tested.}
}
\details{
  \code{is.finite} returns a vector of the same length as \code{x}
  the jth element of which is \code{TRUE} if \code{x[j]} is
  finite (i.e., it is not one of the values \code{NA}, \code{NaN},
  \code{Inf} or \code{-Inf}).  All elements of character and
  generic (list) vectors are false, so \code{is.finite} is only useful for
  logical, integer, numeric and complex vectors.  Complex numbers are
  finite if both the real and imaginary parts are.

  \code{is.infinite} returns a vector of the same length as \code{x}
  the jth element of which is \code{TRUE} if \code{x[j]} is
  infinite (i.e., equal to one of \code{Inf} or \code{-Inf}).

  \code{is.nan} tests if a numeric value is \code{NaN}.  Do not test
  equality to \code{NaN}, or even use \code{\link{identical}},
  since systems typically have many different NaN values.
  In most ports of \R one of these is used for the numeric missing
  value \code{NA}.  It is generic: you can write methods to handle
  specific classes of objects, see \link{InternalMethods}.
}
\note{
  In \R, basically all mathematical functions (including basic
  \code{\link{Arithmetic}}), are supposed to work properly with
  \code{+/- Inf} and \code{NaN} as input or output.

  The basic rule should be that calls and relations with \code{Inf}s
  really are statements with a proper mathematical \emph{limit}.
}
\seealso{
  \code{\link{NA}}, \sQuote{\emph{Not Available}} which is not a number
  as well, however usually used for missing values and applies to many
  modes, not just numeric.
}
\references{
%%- better ones ?!??
    ANSI/IEEE 754 Floating-Point Standard.

 This link does not work any more (2003/12)
    Currently (6/2002), Bill Metzenthen's \email{billm@suburbia.net} tutorial
    and examples at \cr \url{http://www.suburbia.net/~billm/}
}
\examples{
pi / 0 ## = Inf a non-zero number divided by zero creates infinity
0 / 0  ## =  NaN

1/0 + 1/0# Inf
1/0 - 1/0# NaN

stopifnot(
    1/0 == Inf,
    1/Inf == 0
)
sin(Inf)
cos(Inf)
tan(Inf)
}
\keyword{programming}
\keyword{math}