Two "identical" functions returning different values

Question

When taking the norm of a complex number in Mathematica you get the same result when you use the Norm function or the Abs function. So why do the following two functions (kp and kpp) return different results?
k[k1_, k2_] := {Sqrt[3]/2 k1, k1/2 + k2, 0};
kp[k1_, k2_] := (#/Norm[#]) &[k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]]]
kpp[k1_, k2_] := (k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]])/Abs[k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]]]

array = Range[-1.4, 1.4, 0.1];

kp[2 π (array + 0.5), 2 π (-array + 0.5)]
kpp[2 π (array + 0.5), 2 π (-array + 0.5)]

To me these functions should return the same list of values but instead, they return two different lists of values.

梁國淦 · Accepted Answer

Since you did not show the result of your execution, I think people misunderstood your situation. The problem is not in the inequality of the two function forms. The problem is that the functions kp and kpp, when operated on an array of complex numbers (actually, the real and complex parts, separated), behave differently. I could not find more detail reasons, but they operate on the list in different order.
The results are exactly the same if you change the definition of kp to
kp[k1_, k2_] := (#/Norm[#])& /@ (k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]])

Map is, surprisingly, much safer to use when your function may work on only one data point or a list of data points. Don't rely too much on square brackets to tell whether you are now working on scalar or vector. Things may go wrong at unexpected situations.

Bob Hanlon · Answer

Clear["Global`*"]

k[k1_, k2_] := {Sqrt[3]/2 k1, k1/2 + k2, 0};
kp[k1_, k2_] := (#/Norm[#]) &[k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]]]
kpp[k1_, k2_] := (k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]])/
  Abs[k[k1, k2][[1]] + I k[k1, k2][[2]]]

Test whether the functions are equivalent
array = {a, b};

FullSimplify[kp[c (array + d), c (-array + d)]] === 
 FullSimplify[kpp[c (array + d), c (-array + d)]]

(* False *)

They are not even equivalent for real values
kp[c (array + d), c (-array + d)] // ComplexExpand // Simplify

(* {(c ((-I + Sqrt[3]) a + (3 I + Sqrt[3]) d))/(
 2 Sqrt[c^2 (a^2 + b^2 + 6 d^2)]), (
 c ((-I + Sqrt[3]) b + (3 I + Sqrt[3]) d))/(2 Sqrt[c^2 (a^2 + b^2 + 6 d^2)])} *)

kpp[c (array + d), c (-array + d)] // ComplexExpand // Simplify

(* {(c ((-I + Sqrt[3]) a + (3 I + Sqrt[3]) d))/(2 Sqrt[c^2 (a^2 + 3 d^2)]), (
 c ((-I + Sqrt[3]) b + (3 I + Sqrt[3]) d))/(2 Sqrt[c^2 (b^2 + 3 d^2)])} *)

% === %%

(* False *)

Daniel Huber · Answer

Consider:
kp[k1, k2] == kpp[k1, k2]

As you see, the numerator are identical, therefore the difference must come from the denominator. Further note that array and also the arguments are vectors. Now investigate how Norm and Abs behave with vector arguments. E.g.:
Norm[{1,1}]
Abs[{1,1}]

Norm gives a scalar, Abs a vector!
Now if we simplify array to:
array = Range[1.3, 1.4, 0.1];

The numerator is in both cases the same:

(* {9.79452 + 0.628319 I, 10.3387 + 0.314159 I} *)
But the denominator:

(* 14.2588 *)
(* {9.81465, 10.3434} *)

In the first case with Norm we have:
 {9.79452 + 0.628319 I, 10.3387 + 0.314159 I} / 14.2588 ==> {0.686909 + 0.0440653 I, 0.725071 + 0.0220326 I}

And in the second case with Abs:
{9.81465, 10.3434} / {9.81465, 10.3434} ==> {0.997949 + 0.0640184 I, 0.999539 + 0.0303728 I}

Two "identical" functions returning different values

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