Re: Simplify and Abs
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg54678] Re: Simplify and Abs
- From: Peter Pein <petsie at arcor.de>
- Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 01:20:13 -0500 (EST)
- References: <cvk3fu$d6j$1@smc.vnet.net>
- Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com
Simon Anders wrote: > Hi, > > can it really be that this is already beyond Mathematica? > > In := FullSimplify[Abs[p - 1], p < 1 && p > 1/2] > > Out := Abs[-1 + p] > > How do I make Matheamtica notice, that the assumptions constrain the > argument of Abs[] to positive values? > > Any suggestions how to treat these kinds of problems? Specifically, I > have a list of products of absolute values of simple polynomials in p > and I know that p is in the interval [0,1]. > > I would like to know whether the polynomials have constant sign over the > interval so that the Abs[] can be removed. Can this be done automatically? > > TIA > Simon > Hi Simon, In[1]:= TableForm[({#1, FullForm[#1]} & ) /@ {Abs[p - 1], 1 - p}] Out[1]//TableForm= Abs[-1 + p] Abs[Plus[-1, p]] 1 - p Plus[1, Times[-1, p]] as the internal representation of 1-p is slightly more complicated, than the one of Abs[p-1], FunctionExpand[Abs[p - 1], 1/2 < p < 1] is more appropriate, than (Full)Simplify. But you can lead Simplify[] to the desired result by means of the option ComplexityFunction: Simplify[Abs[p-1],1/2<p<1, ComplexityFunction->(Count[#,Abs,Infinity,Heads->True]&)] -- Peter Pein Berlin