Mathematical and Selection Precedences

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‌Mathematical and Selection Precedences

Given the many rules, there are frequently many possible interpretations. Synthia uses a variety of techniques to get the best/right interpretation, and precedences is one of them. For example, consider

1+2*3

In simple calculator-style arithmetic, the answer would be 9, but applying the proper mathematical precedences, the answer is 7. Rules indicate their precedences to achieve that.

Exercise: write 1+2*3 to get 9 without changing the order of the numbers.

Selection precedences resolve ambiguities such as " a tracker": does the rule recognizing this as a nonterminal apply, or is it just the words "a" and "tracker"? We want it to be the nonterminal, but the two words are a valid interpretation too. Selection precedences achieve that and much more. They are also heavily overused to handle the nearly, but not completely, useless word "the."

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