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Simplify UnitStep expressions

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg69195] Simplify UnitStep expressions
• From: "L. Dwynn Lafleur" <lafleur at louisiana.edu>
• Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2006 06:41:43 -0400 (EDT)
• Organization: University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

The following is transcribed from a Mathematica 5.2 notebook in Windows XP:

In[1]:= Simplify[UnitStep[a-x/b], a-x/b > 0]
Out[1]= 1

In[2]:= Simplify[UnitStep[a-Pi/b], a-Pi/b > 0]
Out[2]= UnitStep[a-Pi/b]

Why does the second output different from the first?  I know it has 
something to do with the fact that Pi is internally defined in Mathematica 
because a similar result occurs Pi is replaced with E, but what logic is 
being followed?

-- 
======================================
 L. Dwynn Lafleur
 Professor of Physics
 University of Louisiana at Lafayette
 lafleur at louisiana.edu
======================================

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Simplify UnitStep expressions
    • From: Andrzej Kozlowski <akoz@mimuw.edu.pl>