Normally, statements-of-fact add to AutoMathic's current working knowledge by creating equations or assigning values to variables. However, if a statement of fact becomes an equation with no variable values, it will be ignored since it can never contribute any new information (and might actually be false)! When this happens, the user is warned that the equation was ignored:
> Six tenths is half of 1.2
* Warning: Equation '3/5=1.2/2' ignored.
Anything else?
> 1+1=3
* Warning: Equation '2=3' ignored.
Statements of fact whose noun phrases all refer to the same thing form a univariate equation that immediately assigns a value to its variable:
> Alpha is 14.
Let 'A' stand for "ALPHA"
A = 14
A = 14
Anything else?
> Beta added to twice itself is 21.
Let 'B' stand for "BETA"
Solving for B:
2 B + B = 21
B (2 + 1) = 21
B = 7
B = 7
Statements that refer to more than one thing form a multivariate equation that defines some relationship between their variables:
> The sum of alpha and beta is 21.
Let 'A' stand for "ALPHA"
Let 'B' stand for "BETA"
So...
A + B = 21
Once enough information is available, AutoMathic automatically uses the equations to derive the values of unknown variables:
> What would beta be if alpha were 14?
(Find B)
A = 14
A = 14
Solving for B:
A + B = 21
B = 21 - A
B = 7
7 is BETA.