Manipulation of a matrix full of differentials



>J:matrix(['diff(x,u), 'diff(y,u), 'diff(z,u)], ['diff(x,v), 'diff(y,v),
>'diff(z,v)],['diff(x,v), 'diff(y,v), 'diff(z,v)]);

>And now I want to get the analytical inverse of this matrix. However,
>determinant(J) gives me zero, as if it is actually evaluating the
>differentials, while determinant('J) does not quite do the trick either.

I think you only need to change the third ind. var. to "w" 
for it to work?

 J:matrix(['diff(x,u), 'diff(y,u), 'diff(z,u)], ['diff(x,v), 'diff(y,v),
'diff(z,v)],['diff(x,w),'diff(y,w),'diff(z,w)]);

determinant(J);

         dx  dy dz   dy dz    dy  dx dz   dx dz     dx dy   dx dy  dz
(D2)     -- (-- -- - -- --) - -- (-- -- - -- --) + (-- -- - -- --) --
         du  dv dw   dw dv    du  dv dw   dw dv     dv dw   dw dv  du

Regards,

L. Prevett
Mathematics Instructor
Cochise College, Sierra Vista, AZ, US
prevettl@cochise.edu