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Out
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Out

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%n or Out[n]

is a global object that is assigned to be the value produced on the n^(th) output line.

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%

gives the last result generated.

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%%

gives the result before last. %%…% (k times) gives the k^(th) previous result.

Details

  • Out[] is equivalent to %.
  • Out[-k] is equivalent to %%…% (k times).

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)Summary of the most common use cases

Given a sequence of inputs:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-db6dmz
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-gkknmg
Out[2]=2

Recall the outputs:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-dxymn
Out[3]=3
In[4]:=4
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-kso7di
Out[4]=4

Scope  (2)Survey of the scope of standard use cases

Add some integers:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-h00fgh
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-5g9rz
Out[2]=2

Return the most recent and second most recent outputs using % and %%, respectively:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-hfc5cx
Out[3]=3

Refer to the second and third most recent outputs using the FullForm Out[-n]:

In[4]:=4
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-o96bi2
Out[4]=4

Multiply some integers:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-kauwvt
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-5a5tkw
Out[2]=2

Refer to the outputs using Out with explicit positive integer arguments:

In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-3x1t6k
Out[3]=3

Applications  (1)Sample problems that can be solved with this function

Evaluate some expressions:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-s5phet
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-2kcurc
Out[2]=2
In[3]:=3
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-c70xf9
Out[3]=3

Evaluate DownValues for Out to see what outputs are stored:

In[4]:=4
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-9awxnt
Out[4]=4

Do the same by looking at Information for Out:

In[5]:=5
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-5tjqul
Out[5]=5

Properties & Relations  (5)Properties of the function, and connections to other functions

A combinations of n % signs is equivalent to Out[-n]:

In[4]:=4
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-wf5mh0
Out[6]=6

The FullForm of % is Out[]:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-1kv8zy
Out[1]=1

Referencing an output number greater than the total number of outputs returns unevaluated:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-m9vdyh
Out[1]=1

If $HistoryLength is finite, only the $HistoryLength most recent values of Out will have a value:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-urclvy
Out[1]=1

The value of $Line corresponds to the numbers in In and Out:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-5t8007
Out[1]=1
In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-l80wmu
Out[2]=2

Possible Issues  (1)Common pitfalls and unexpected behavior

Out[-1] has no short InputForm:

In[1]:=1
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-mdgqbs
Out[1]=1

However, both Out[-1] and Out[] (with InputForm %) refer to the most recent output:

In[2]:=2
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https://wolfram.com/xid/0obog-l3lvrv
Out[2]=2
Wolfram Research (1988), Out, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html.
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Wolfram Research (1988), Out, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), Out, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html.

✖
Wolfram Research (1988), Out, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "Out." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html.

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Wolfram Language. 1988. "Out." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). Out. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html

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Wolfram Language. (1988). Out. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_out, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Out}", year="1988", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-April-2025 ]}

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@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_out, author="Wolfram Research", title="{Out}", year="1988", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-April-2025 ]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_out, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Out}, year={1988}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-April-2025 ]}

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@online{reference.wolfram_2025_out, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={Out}, year={1988}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/Out.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-April-2025 ]}