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Re: smart change of variables?

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg87716] Re: smart change of variables?
  • From: Jean-Marc Gulliet <jeanmarc.gulliet at gmail.com>
  • Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:01:41 -0400 (EDT)
  • Organization: The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • References: <fu21bk$rb6$1@smc.vnet.net>

Barrow wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> I have a arithmetic problem.
> I have an expression expr = (p1 + 2*p2)*(k1 + 2*k2)
> where p1 + p2 = k1 + k2
> I wanna make the following change of variables,
> s = (p1 + p2)^2
> t = (p1 - k1)^2
> u = (p1 - k2)^2
> 
> Is it possible to tell Mathematica to express expr
> in terms of s, t, and u automatically?
> 
> Thanks so much.
> any ideas would be appreciated.
> Sincerely Barrow
> 

Barrow,

You could use Eliminate[] and Reduce[] as in the following (note that 
you have two answers for the final expression since quadratics are involved)

In[40]:= Eliminate[
  f == (p1 + 2*p2)*(k1 + 2*k2) && p1 + p2 == k1 + k2 &&
   s == (p1 + p2)^2 &&
   t == (p1 - k1)^2 && u == (p1 - k2)^2, {p1, p2,
    k1, k2}]

Out[40]= -81 s^2 + 18 s t - t^2 + 18 s u + 2 t u - u^2 ==
  16 f^2 + f (-72 s + 8 t - 8 u)

In[41]:= Reduce[%, f]

Out[41]= f == 1/4 (9 s - t - 6 Sqrt[s] Sqrt[u] + u) ||
  f == 1/4 (9 s - t + 6 Sqrt[s] Sqrt[u] + u)

Regards,
-- Jean-Marc


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