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Re: Preventing Times[x,x] from becoming Power[x,2]

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg53717] Re: Preventing Times[x,x] from becoming Power[x,2]
• From: Paul Abbott <paul at physics.uwa.edu.au>
• Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 03:37:54 -0500 (EST)
• Organization: The University of Western Australia
• References: <csqs3u$1te$1@smc.vnet.net> <csvi83$asl$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

In article <csvi83$asl$1 at smc.vnet.net>,
 David Bailey <dave at Remove_Thisdbailey.co.uk> wrote:

> Josef Karthauser wrote:
> > I was wondering whether anyone knows the answer to this one.
> > 
> > I've got a function, let's call it F[...]. If I enter F[s] F[s]
> > into mathematica it "simplifies" the resulting expression, making it
> > become Power[F[s],2].  Is there any way to prevent this automatic
> > simplification on F[] objects?
> > 
> > Joe
> Hi,
> 
> The fact that you don't want that simplification to take place suggests 
> to me that you do not intend F[s]F[s] to mean ordinary multiplication. 
> In that case, it would be better to use one of the unassigned operators 
> (such as \[CircleTimes]) to represent 'not multiplication'. You 
> obviously will not get spurious simplifications, and you can define the 
> tru behaviour as you want.

Agreed. It is possible to have the implied multiplication interpreted as 
non-commutative multiplication. One way to do this is to use $Pre to 
replace Times by any operator that is not, by default, commutative. For 
example, here the CircleTimes operator is used.

 $Pre:= Function[x, ReleaseHold[Hold[x]/. Times -> CircleTimes], HoldAll]

Note that we have to hold the argument (Hold[x]) and that this pure 
function needs to be HoldAll so that its argument is not evaluated.

Next you need to add appropriate definitions to the (infix) CircleTimes 
operator. 

Cheers,
Paul

-- 
Paul Abbott                                   Phone: +61 8 6488 2734
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