Numeric JavaScript

Common errors

• TypeError: numeric.dot is not a function

  cause The 'numeric' object was not correctly imported or is not available in the current scope, or the `numeric.js` script failed to load in the browser.
  fix Ensure `const numeric = require('numeric');` is at the top of your Node.js file, or that `<script src="numeric.js"></script>` is loaded before your code in a browser. Verify the file path is correct.

• ReferenceError: numeric is not defined

  cause The 'numeric' library was not successfully loaded or imported before being used.
  fix For Node.js, ensure `require('numeric')` is used to import the module. For browser usage, confirm the `<script>` tag pointing to `numeric.js` is correctly placed and loaded, and the `numeric` global object is available. Check for typos in variable names.

• SyntaxError: Cannot use import statement outside a module

  cause Attempting to use ES Module `import` syntax with the CommonJS-only `numeric` package in an environment not configured for ESM or without a bundler to transpile.
  fix Replace `import numeric from 'numeric';` with `const numeric = require('numeric');`. If you must use ESM syntax, ensure your project is configured for ES Modules (e.g., `"type": "module"` in `package.json`) and your bundler can handle CJS interoperability.

Warnings

• breaking The 'numeric' package is effectively abandoned, with its last update over a decade ago. It lacks active maintenance, bug fixes, security patches, or support for modern JavaScript features and environments.
  Fix: Avoid using 'numeric' for new projects. Consider actively maintained alternatives such as 'math.js', 'ndarray', or specialized scientific computing libraries.
• gotcha As an older package, 'numeric' is built using CommonJS modules. Attempting to import it directly using ES module syntax (`import ... from 'numeric'`) in modern ESM-only environments will result in runtime errors.
  Fix: Use CommonJS `require()` syntax (`const numeric = require('numeric');`) in Node.js. For browser environments, load `numeric.js` via a `<script>` tag. If used in an ESM project, a bundler (e.g., Webpack, Rollup) configured to handle CJS modules is required.
• gotcha JavaScript's `Number` type uses 64-bit floating-point representation (IEEE 754), which inherently leads to precision issues for certain decimal arithmetic (e.g., `0.1 + 0.2 !== 0.3`). This is critical in numerical analysis where exactness is often required.
  Fix: Be aware of floating-point inaccuracies. For sensitive calculations requiring arbitrary precision, use dedicated decimal arithmetic libraries (e.g., `decimal.js`, `big.js`) instead of standard JavaScript numbers, or explore libraries built on `BigInt` (not supported by 'numeric').
• gotcha The JavaScript `Number` type has limitations for representing large integers reliably (up to `Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER`). Calculations exceeding this range can lead to silent data corruption or incorrect results.
  Fix: For operations with very large integers, JavaScript's native `BigInt` type should be used. However, 'numeric' does not support `BigInt`, requiring developers to manage large integer arithmetic outside the library or use a different numerical package.
• gotcha The library does not provide official TypeScript type definitions. Integrating 'numeric' into a TypeScript project will either require manually writing declaration files (`.d.ts`) or relying on potentially outdated community-maintained `@types/numeric` packages.
  Fix: Install `@types/numeric` if available, or create custom `.d.ts` files to provide type information for the library's functions and objects. This adds maintenance overhead and potential type mismatches.

Install

• npm install numeric npm
• yarn add numeric yarn
• pnpm add numeric pnpm

Imports

• numeric
  wrong:

  import numeric from 'numeric';

  correct:

  const numeric = require('numeric');

  This package is CommonJS-only. Direct 'import' statements will fail in ESM environments without specific build tool configuration.
• numeric (browser global)

  <script src="path/to/numeric.js"></script>
  // 'numeric' object is now globally available

  In a browser, load the script tag. The library exposes a global 'numeric' object.
• Type definitions

  // No official types are shipped. Consider community-maintained @types/numeric or manual declaration.

  This package predates widespread TypeScript adoption and does not ship with its own type definitions. Using it in a TypeScript project requires manual type declarations or a community-maintained `@types` package (if available and up-to-date).

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates fundamental numerical operations: matrix multiplication, generating an identity matrix, solving a linear system of equations, and computing eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

const numeric = require('numeric');

// 1. Matrix Multiplication (dot product)
const A = [[1, 2], [3, 4]];
const B = [[5, 6], [7, 8]];
const C = numeric.dot(A, B);
console.log('Matrix C (A * B):', C); // Expected: [[19, 22], [43, 50]]

// 2. Identity Matrix
const I = numeric.identity(3);
console.log('3x3 Identity Matrix:', I);

// 3. Solving a Linear System (Ax = b)
// A = [[2, 1], [1, 3]], b = [4, 7]
const solve_A = [[2, 1], [1, 3]];
const solve_b = [4, 7];
const x = numeric.solve(solve_A, solve_b);
console.log('Solution x for Ax=b:', x); // Expected: [1, 2]

// 4. Eigenvalues (for a symmetric matrix)
const eigen_matrix = [[2, 0], [0, 3]];
const eigenvalues = numeric.eig(eigen_matrix);
// The real parts of the eigenvalues (lambda.x) and eigenvectors (E.x)
console.log('Eigenvalues (real parts):', eigenvalues.lambda.x); // Expected: [2, 3]
console.log('Eigenvectors (real parts):', eigenvalues.E.x);