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Re: question about simplify function

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg96964] Re: question about simplify function
  • From: Bill Rowe <readnews at sbcglobal.net>
  • Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 06:42:54 -0500 (EST)

On 2/27/09 at 6:17 AM, zxcv_890 at hotmail.com wrote:

>This seems like a basic question, but I can't see the answer: Why
>doesn't either the Simplify or FullSimplify function transform the
>expression x/(xy) into 1/y? When I substitute a specific value in
>for x, the simplification occurs as expected, e.g., 4/(4y)
>transforms to 1/ y. Puzzling. Jack

If you literally entered x/(xy) then Mathematica sees this as
dividing x by the variable xy, not the product of two variables.
Check you code. You need a space between the x and y for
Mathematica to see this as a product not a new variable.




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