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Re: can't MATHEMATICA simplify simple expressions?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg51525] Re: [mg51505] can't MATHEMATICA simplify simple expressions?
• From: Matteo Delfino <delfino at studenti.ph.unito.it>
• Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 22:20:38 -0400 (EDT)
• References: <200410200521.BAA08484@smc.vnet.net>
• Reply-to: delfino at studenti.ph.unito.it
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Cole Turner ha scritto:
> if I enter:
> 
> FullSimplify [ (a^2)^(3/2) ]
> 
> (in correct MATHEMATICA syntax, the program does not yield the correct
> result, a^3 ... 
> 
> why is that?
> 
> thanks!
Mathematica does not know whether "a" is a positive real number or not 
(it does not even know it is a number...),you must specify it with 
Assumptions (see mathematica help):

FullSimplify[(a^2)^(3/2),a>0]

yelds the correct result.

regards
Matteo Delfino

• References:
  • can't MATHEMATICA simplify simple expressions?
    • From: Cole Turner <REMOVEcole.tuner@liwest.at>