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

ComplexityFunction

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg74131] ComplexityFunction
• From: Christopher Arthur <caa0012 at unt.edu>
• Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2007 04:37:54 -0500 (EST)

After an inspiring message on how to code for TransformationFunctions, 
I made a set of such functions to apply to my logical system.  Now, 
however, I am not sure how to inform Simplify as to which kinds of 
forms are prefered.  I looked at the help file for ComplexityFunction, 
but it is not well documented in 5.2.  Can someone provide a more 
practical look at this option?  From the help file I gather that it is 
supposed to assign a score to intermediate forms to decide if its 
making progress.  But after noodling with it a bit I can't make my 
output change at all.

Some things to ask:  is the score a real number and can it be negative? 
  Is a lower score supposed to mean a more simplified form?  By the 
way, when we use a list of TransformationFunctions, can we assume that 
Simplify is allowed to apply all or any of them repeatedly and in any 
order it likes?  If not, is there a way to tell it to do this?  Regards,

Christopher Arthur