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Re: Is it a bug?

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg17691] Re: Is it a bug?
  • From: Allan Hayes <hay at haystack.demon.co.uk>
  • Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 23:59:05 -0400
  • References: <37393190.0@webpc1.vai.co.at> <7i34k1$bej@smc.vnet.net>
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

F. Mittermayr <mitterma at linz.vai.co.at> wrote in message
news:7i34k1$bej at smc.vnet.net...
> Thanks to all who have told me that it is not a strange result.
 --------- Snip ----------
>
>     x = Sqrt[I]-1/Sqrt[2](1+I);
>     Cases[{x, x//FullSimplify},_Integer]
> Out[]= {0}
>
> It cannot be that a number becomes an integer by doing a "FullSimplify".
> Shouldn't the text in the online-help be changed to the following:
>
> ----------Snip------------
>
Franz,

Transfer the simplification to the test:

x = Sqrt[I] - 1/Sqrt[2]*(1 + I); g = (1 + Sqrt[5])/2;

Cases[{x, x, (a + 1)/(a + 1), (a^2 + a)/a - a, (g^9 - (-g)^(-9))/Sqrt[5]},
  _?(Head[FullSimplify[#1]] === Integer & )
]


{(-1)^(1/4) - (1 + I)/Sqrt[2],
  (-1)^(1/4) - (1 + I)/Sqrt[2], 1, -a + (a + a^2)/a,
  (-(512/(-1 - Sqrt[5])^9) + 1/512*(1 + Sqrt[5])^9)/Sqrt[5]}
{(-1)^(1/4) - (1 + I)/Sqrt[2], 1, -a + (a + a^2)/a}

> It cannot be that a number becomes an integer by doing a "FullSimplify".
> Shouldn't the text in the online-help be changed to the following:

Right, but some are only recognizable as equal to an integer (having head
Integer) after simplification

> Why doesn't Mathematica do any calculation on the expression x =
> Sqrt[I]-1/Sqrt[2](1+I);

A common complaint is that Mathematica is too eager to evaluate - sometimes we don't
want to simplify - and it would slow some calculations down a lot if
Simplify  or  FullSimplify were used on all subexpressions.

Allan
---------------------
Allan Hayes
Mathematica Training and Consulting
Leicester UK
www.haystack.demon.co.uk
hay at haystack.demon.co.uk
Voice: +44 (0)116 271 4198
Fax: +44 (0)870 164 0565





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