Subject: Expand, factor... as a way to solve, simplify?
From: C Y
Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 14:55:44 -0700 (PDT)
--- Jay Belanger <belanger@truman.edu> wrote:
> > The truth, it seems, is that Maxima cannot solve
> >
> > exp(a * x) = C * exp(b * x)
>
> Ah, here's an example. Indeed, Maxima doesn't solve it. Does Maple?
> Does Mathematica? What results do they give?
Don't know about maple, but mathematica gives x=-Log[1/c]/(a-b), while
warning that inverse functions are being used and some solutions may
not be found.
Is there any way we could make Maxima assume a not equal to b, and have
it work it under those conditions?
> > I just get mad when people say things like... "the problem isn't
> with
> > the software, it is with you..."
>
> Has anyone here said that?
I think what we've got is a couple different positions on what
assumptions should be made by default. That's a hard question,
and depends on the problem it's used for. Maybe what we
could do is to define a package "BasicAssumptions" or something
like that which would eliminate some of the initially confusing
stuff, and then people could load that and get more the behavior
they expect?
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