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Simplifying radicals

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg122203] Simplifying radicals
• From: Tom De Vries <tidetabletom at gmail.com>
• Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 07:44:43 -0400 (EDT)
• Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com

Hi,  I'm working with some introductory topics in radicals.

I know that Mathematica assumes things about the domain used in
problems,  so the principal cube root of a negative number will be
complex... or something like that..

I'm way down at the lower high school level simply working with cube
roots of negative numbers and wanting a negative number result.

I know there are ways of using assumptions and solving over the reals, etc.

Is there any EASY way I can simply ask for the cube root of -729 and get -9?

TOM

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Simplifying radicals
    • From: Syd Geraghty <sydgeraghty@me.com>