Re: Real roots and other assumptions...
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg19921] Re: Real roots and other assumptions...
- From: "Allan Hayes" <hay at haystack.demon.co.uk>
- Date: Tue, 21 Sep 1999 02:22:52 -0400
- References: <7s3p1u$ck5@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Janus Wesenberg <jaw at imf.au.dk> wrote in message news:7s3p1u$ck5 at smc.vnet.net... > Hi, > I keep encountering problems of the following type when using mathematica: > I want to solve some equation(s) under some assumptions about the unknown(s), > e.g. find the real roots of (x-1)(x^2+1). > I've tried Solve[{Im[x]==0,(x-1)(x^2+1)==0},x]] for the above problem, but that > doesn't get me anywhere. > > Is there a general way to let Mathematica know about such additional bounds as > non-complexness etc? -- if so I would be happy to know it! > > Janus Wesenberg > Student of Physics. > > PS. I'm using Mathematica from a HP-UX 10 system, and the notebook interface > have grave difficulties handling large expressions (they scrambled to complete > nonsense). The local system administrator just says "Use the text access", but > does anyone know how to make the notebook interface work? > Janus, Cases[Solve[(x - 1)(x^2 + 1) == 0, x], s_ /; FreeQ[s, _Complex]] {{x -> 1}} But there could be problems with precision and also with rules like x -> (a - I)(a + I) (*which may, depending on a, give real solutions but would be excluded*) x-> (1-e)^{1/3) (* gives a complex solution, but would not be excuded*) We can improve things using N and ExpandAll, but we can also use Simplify. The following tries to keep those solutions which may be real for some parameter values. RealSolve[eqs_, vars_, elims_List:{}, ass___] := DeleteCases[ Solve[eqs, vars, elims], s_ /; Or @@ (Simplify[Im[Last[#]] != 0, ass] & /@ s)] RealSolve[(x - 1)(x^2 + 1) == 0, x, {}] {{x -> 1}} RealSolve[(x - p)(x^2 + 1) == 0, x, {}] {{x -> p}} RealSolve[(x - p)(x^2 + q^2) == 0, x, {}] {{x -> p}, {x -> -I*q}, {x -> I*q}} because % /. q -> I {{x -> p}, {x -> 1}, {x -> -1}} 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