I have a question about how numeric classes and type checking works. I have two functions that I think should behave the same but don't. -- I want to split n things up using a given list of fractions -- for example >allocate' 100 [1/3,1/3,1/3] -- [33,33,33] allocate' n fs = vs where vs = map (floor . (*n)) fs -- I want to find anything left over eventually I will want to -- return what is unallocated as well but for now allocated -- and unallocated are not used! allocate n fs = vs where vs = map (floor . (*n)) fs allocated = sum vs unallocated = n - allocated When I load these function in the top level everything looks good [1 of 1] Compiling Main ( allocate.hs, interpreted ) Ok, modules loaded: Main.main *Main> allocate' 100 [1/3,1/3,1/3] [33,33,33] *Main> allocate 100 [1/3,1/3,1/3] <interactive>:1:0: Ambiguous type variable `t' in the constraints: `Integral t' arising from a use of `allocate' at <interactive>:1:0-25 `RealFrac t' arising from a use of `allocate' at <interactive>:1:0-25 Probable fix: add a type signature that fixes these type variable(s) *Main> I mixed up my types when finding the allocated and unallocated, but I am not sure why it produces an error when unallocated and allocated are never used? Shouldn't the two functions be compiled down to the same thing? Suggestions on how to do this more elegantly as well as pointers for understanding numeric type classes would be appreciated. TIA Lloyd