josdejong/mathjs

Functions do not recon with `config.number` when converting a string into a numeric type

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#3,206 opened on May 29, 2024

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bughelp wanted

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Description

It's a bit of an edge case, but for example:

math.config({number: 'BigNumber'})
math.add('2', '3')
// results in a number with value 5, but should be a BigNumber with value 5

The reason is that functions like add do not have a signature like add(string, string). Therefore, automatic conversion kicks in. The automatic conversion finds a conversion from string -> number that fits the bill and uses that, without reconing with the configured config.number. I'm not sure how a proper solution to fix this would look like, since the type conversions are static 🤔.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate how mathjs handles automatic type conversions and how config.number affects the conversion logic. Look for where conversions from string to number are defined and how they could be made aware of the current configuration.
Tech stack
javascript
Domain
backend
Issue type
Bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
JavaScript
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
30