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Simplification of vector and scalar products

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg39613] Simplification of vector and scalar products
• From: John Stokes <john at geomatics.kth.se>
• Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 02:41:52 -0500 (EST)
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

I want to simplify vector and scalar products as for instance

       6 (a / 2) x b  //Simplify

where a and b are assumed to be vectors and "x" is the vector product..
Simplify and FullSimplify do nothing, nor does the following command
change anything:

       6 (a / 2) x b  /. p_ Cross[a_ / q_ , b_] => p Cross[a, b] / q

The simplification is only performed when explicit numbers are introduced:

       6 (a / 2) x b  /. 6 Cross[a_ / 2 , b_] => 6 Cross[a, b] / 2

thus giving the result

       3 a x b

How do I proceed?

John Stokes