Good enough algebra



Can you explain what you are talking about?

What wrong answer?


I'm sure there are bugs in Maple, Mathematica and Maxima, but I don't 
tend to believe that Maple will often give a wrong answer. The chances 
of that are much lower than me getting the wrong sign or something.

Certainly, in none of the examples given so far does Maple give a wrong 
answer. Sure, Maple makes some reasonable assumption, but that's what 
all Computer Algebra system do.

You have to be careful. Wrong and "not as complete as possible" are two 
different things.

Maple isn't "as complete as possible", but neither is "Maxima". So let's 
stop referring to this mythical software solving equations in such a way 
that all possible solutions are *always* found with all the cases worked 
out.

I want Maxima to be "good enough". If I wanted perfect software, I'd be 
a fool. Currently, I'm trying to decide whether Maxima is really good 
enough for me.

It is certainly better than what I thought a few days ago.


 >A most strange idea when applied to comuter programs. I certainly
would rather want my computer not to give me any answer than to give
me a wrong one. Hint: an omitted solution might be a cause of a major
disaster if the results are applied to an engineering project.<



-- 
Daniel Lemire, Ph.D.
http://www.ondelette.com