complex numbers



On Thu, 8 Aug 2002 11:18:52 +0200
Maths Mathematica Geometry Crew <mathematica@linfe.it> wrote:

> Maybe my reminiscences of complex algebra are poor,  but i wonder how
> to make maxima evaluate 
>   
>     (-1)^(1/6) 
> 
> which should yield %i
> What hidden issues are involved is that expression?
> 

Maxima does the job;

[daniel@georgette ~]$ maxima
GCL (GNU Common Lisp)  Version(2.3.8) dim jan  6 19:11:17 CET 2002
Licensed under GNU Library General Public License
Contains Enhancements by W. Schelter
Loading init.lsp
Finished loading init.lsp
Maxima 5.6-17 dim jan 6 19:11:11 CET 2002 (with enhancements by W. Schelter).
Licensed under the GNU Public License (see file COPYING)
(C1) rectform((-1)^(1/6));

				 %I   SQRT(3)
(D1) 				 -- + -------
				 2	 2
(C2) rectform(d1^6);

(D2) 				      - 1
(C3) 

since d1 is _one_ of the _six_ possible results.

Best regards.
-- 
Daniel Duparc <daniel.duparc@free.fr>
29 av. de la Commune de Paris
94400 Vitry sur Seine (France)