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From: telefunkenvf14 on 19 Jun 2010 07:46
Dear MathGroup:

I'm working on building up a package of functions and I need some
guidance.

After several prior attempts, I'm learning the value in minimizing the
number of named functions and maximizing what each can do. (BTW, is
there a more technical term for this?--my goal, in part, is to
demonstrate how to teach others to build a package.)

Please consider the following function. It's the solution to a profit
maximization problem, and this particular case assumes Cobb-Douglas
technology. As you can see, I have set Profit[] up so that I can pass
it either a list of wages 'w' and shares 's', or have it generate the
function with 'n' number of inputs, with wages indicated by the
symbolic 'w', etc.

Profit[w_List,s_List,p_Symbol:p]:=
Module[{sumShares},
sumShares=Plus@@s;
((1-sumShares)*p^(1/(1-sumShares)))*Inner[Power,w/s,-(s/(1-
sumShares)),Times]
]

Profit[n_?IntegerQ/;n>0,w_Symbol:w,s_Symbol:s,p_Symbol:p]:=
Module[{sumShares,wages,shares},
wages=Table[Subscript[w, i],{i,1,n}];
shares=Table[Subscript[s, i],{i,1,n}];
sumShares=Plus@@shares;
(1-sumShares)*p^(1/(1-sumShares))*Inner[Power,wages/shares,-(shares/
(1-sumShares)),Times]
]

At this point, what I'd like to do is build on this framework by
including the appropriate profit functions for other types of
technology, such as 'CES', 'Leontief', etc.

My question: What is the best way to go about this? (my brainstorm of
possible ways to do this are below)

1. Profit[w_List,s_List,p_Symbol:p,tech_:"CobbDouglas"] and then use
If[] or Which[] to switch to "CES" or "Leontief". (This seems sloppy
to me, although it is similar to (3), below. Isn't it?)
2. I suspect that Condition[] might be another way to go, although I
have little practice using /; in the body of a function. Someone would
really have to hold my hand...
3. ClearAll[Profit]
Options[Profit] = {Technology -> "CobbDouglas", Technology -> "CES",
Technology -> "Leontief"};
Profit[x_, OptionsPattern[]] :=
Which[
OptionValue[Technology] == "CobbDouglas", CobbDouglasVersion[x],
OptionValue[Technology] == "CES", CESVersion[x],
OptionValue[Technology] == "Leontief", LeontiefVersion[x]
]

So then I could call:

Profit[variables, Technology -> "CobbDouglas"]
Profit[go, Technology -> "CES"]
Profit[here, Technology -> "Leontief"]

This last approach seems to be the most appropriate. Am I missing
anything? Pitfalls to avoid? I really don't want to end up starting
this over again... :)

-RG

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