Re: can't MATHEMATICA simplify simple expressions?
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg51555] Re: can't MATHEMATICA simplify simple expressions?
- From: "Dana DeLouis" <delouis at bellsouth.net>
- Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2004 22:22:26 -0400 (EDT)
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
I believe with square roots, there are usually two answers. For example, here we see that the answer could be + - 2. In[1]:=(a^2)^(3/2) /. a -> 2 Out[1]=8 In[2]:=(a^2)^(3/2) /. a -> -2 Out[2]=8 Two ideas. In[3]:= Assuming[a > 0, FullSimplify[(a^2)^(3/2)]] Out[3]=a^3 In[4]:= FullSimplify[(a^2)^(3/2), Assumptions -> a > 0] Out[4]=a^3 HTH -- Dana DeLouis Win XP & Office 2003 "Cole Turner" <REMOVEcole.tuner at liwest.at> wrote in message news:cl4tg0$8g7$1 at smc.vnet.net... > 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! > -- > Johnny: [plugging back in the runway lights] > "Just kidding." > ('Airplane!', 1980) >