Last one should be // still a student

@coja I am the engineer because I forget about Math.max existence

What about the smooth approximation nerd?

import math
def max12(x, y, alpha=10):
  u = math.exp(alpha * x)
  v = math.exp(alpha * y)
  return (u * x + v * y) / (u + v)

(obviously beware of overflows)

I use 8, but only when I'm operating on unsigned longs.

here’s another mathematical approach (that has the added benefit of only working when x and y are both positive).

let f denote the linear functional on ℝ^2^ defined by f(1,0) = x and f(0,1) = y (and extend by linearity). then the operator norm || f || is equal to max(x,y).

I'm mostly lost and in over my head

Yoink.

Actually I've probably been all of these at various times in my career.

Why use const max = (x, y) => x > y ? x : y instead of function max(x, y) { return x > y ? x : y } ?

2, but I'm incredibly embarrassed to say that I've had to do 9 before

my $max = $x > $y ? $x : $y;