[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index]

Re: silly questions?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg59077] Re: silly questions?
• From: Peter Pein <petsie at dordos.net>
• Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 02:26:51 -0400 (EDT)
• References: <dc77me$k74$1@smc.vnet.net>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Kent Holing schrieb:
> Why does not (x^5-32)/(x-2)//FullSimplify in Mathematica  work?
> Compare with Factor[x^5-32]//InputForm which returns (-2 + x)*(16 + 8*x + 4*x^2 + 2*x^3 + x^4).
> So why does not the first command just return 16 + 8*x + 4*x^2 + 2*x^3 + x^4?
> As in a factorization above, how is the easiest way to pick automatically (by a function) the factors of say degree >=2,  if any ?
> 
> Kent Holing
> 

The rational expression appears more simple to Mathematica:

LeafCount[(Print[#1]; #1)&[FullSimplify[(x^5 - 32)/(x - 2)]]]

(-32 + x^5)/(-2 + x)

11

but - on the other hand:

LeafCount[(Print[#1]; #1)&[Cancel[(x^5 - 32)/(x - 2)]]]

16 + 8*x + 4*x^2 + 2*x^3 + x^4

18

-- 
Peter Pein
Berlin
http://people.freenet.de/Peter_Berlin/