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simplifying RotationMatrix

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg96321] simplifying RotationMatrix
  • From: DrMajorBob <btreat1 at austin.rr.com>
  • Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 05:23:42 -0500 (EST)
  • References: <23667197.1234176058052.JavaMail.root@m02>
  • Reply-to: drmajorbob at longhorns.com

If I calculate the rotation matrix from one vector to another in spherical  
coordinates, the result is HUGELY complicated:

Needs["VectorAnalysis`"]

SetCoordinates[Spherical];
mean = {1, t0, p0};
pt = {1, t, p};
xy = CoordinatesToCartesian /@ {mean, pt};
rot = RotationMatrix@xy;
LeafCount@rot

32798

I don't know what to tell Simplify about this, but it seem there are MANY  
unnecessary Conjugate mentions:

Cases[rot, Conjugate[z_], Infinity] // Length

1575

and MANY unnecessary cases like this, too:

Cases[rot, Power[Abs[z_], 2], Infinity] // Length

1980

Each of these could be simply z^2, I think.

Trying to eliminate these with rules doesn't seem to help much, if any.

The first thing I thought of was PowerExpand, but

Map[PowerExpand, rot, {2}] // LeafCount

32798

What am I missing? How can it be that complicated in the first place?

Bobby


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