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Re: Problems with simplify and Sqrt[a^2]

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg73901] Re: Problems with simplify and Sqrt[a^2]
• From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2007 00:51:46 -0500 (EST)
• Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
• References: <es907e$2b4$1@smc.vnet.net>

dshortho wrote:
> any help on this one:
> 
> if you type in:
> v3/Sqrt[v1^2]/Sqrt[v2^2] - v3/v1/v2
> 
> you get the same expression
> 
> Even if you then type
> Simplify[%]
> 
> you still get the same expression
> 
> I would have thought Mathematica would have resolved Sqrt[v1^2] to v1 (!?)
> 
> Does anyone out there know why it does not do this, as it is causing some problems with some proofs I am doing ?
> 

The following FAQ has the relevant information:

"Why are transformations of Sqrt[x^2], Log[x y], Log[â??^x], etc. not 
automatically done?"

http://support.wolfram.com/mathematica/mathematics/algebra/conditionalsimplification.html

Regards,
Jean-Marc