Hi - I intended to write logexpand:super , which does solve the problem.
Generally speaking, with most computer algebra systems you have to give the
program some assistance at some stage in the calculation. I think that this
is the point that Dr. Fateman was trying to get across; you have to be
willing to use things like expand and factor.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Daniel Lemire [SMTP:lemire at ondelette]
> Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 7:55 PM
> To: David Holmgren; maxima@www.math.utexas.edu
> Subject: Re: [Maxima] Newbie: problem solving basic equations
>
> I'm not sure what logexpand does, but clearly, we are nowhere near
> finding a solution to log(a*x)=C*log(b*x) for x!!!
>
> See what I get...
>
>
> (C1) logexpand:true;
>
>
> (D1) TRUE
> (C2) solve(log(a*x)=C*log(b*x),x);
>
>
> LOG(a x)
> (D2) [LOG(b x) = --------]
> C
>
>
> David Holmgren wrote:
>
> > Hi - Try this for a start (on the expression with the logs):
> > logexpand:true;
> > solve(log(a*x)-C*log(b*x),x);
> >
> > I have not yet found anything similar for exponentials...
> >
> > Dave Holmgren
> >
> > Dr. David E. Holmgren,
> > Imaging Scientist,
> > SMART Technologies, Inc.
> > Calgary, AB, Canada
> > http://www.smarttech.com
> > [403]-235-1452, ext. 251
> > DavidHolmgren@smarttech.com
> >
> >
> >
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Daniel Lemire [SMTP:lemire at ondelette]
> >>Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 5:12 PM
> >>To: maxima@www.ma.utexas.edu
> >>Subject: [Maxima] Newbie: problem solving basic equations
> >>
> >>Good day,
> >>
> >>I think the "solve" function is broken. I just installed Maxima and
> >>tried solving a few elementary equations. In all cases but the very,
> >>very elementary ones, Maxima is no good, it seems. (See below.)
> >>
> >>
> >>What am I missing? Surely, Maxima can do this?
> >>
> >>[lemire@romeo lemire]$ maxima
> >>GCL (GNU Common Lisp) Version(2.4.0) Wed May 9 12:02:00 CDT 2001
> >>Licensed under GNU Library General Public License
> >>Contains Enhancements by W. Schelter
> >>Maxima 5.6 Wed May 9 12:01:49 CDT 2001 (with enhancements by W.
> Schelter).
> >>Licensed under the GNU Public License (see file COPYING)
> >>(C1) solve(exp(a*x)= C*exp(b*x),x);
> >>
> >> a x
> >> b x %E
> >>(D1) [%E = -----]
> >> C
> >>(C2) solve(log(a*x)=C*log(b*x),x);
> >>
> >> LOG(a x)
> >>(D2) [LOG(b x) = --------]
> >> C
> >>(C3) solve(a^x=b^x,x);
> >>
> >> x x
> >>(D3) [b = a ]
> >>(C4) solve(m*x+b=y,x);
> >>
> >> y - b
> >>(D4) [x = -----]
> >> m
> >>(C5)
> >>--
> >>Daniel Lemire, Ph.D.
> >>
> >>http://www.ondelette.com/
> >>
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>Maxima mailing list
> >>Maxima@www.math.utexas.edu
> >>http://www.math.utexas.edu/mailman/listinfo/maxima
> >>
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Daniel Lemire, Ph.D.
>
> http://www.ondelette.com/
>