> I don't think it is a problem with the equation, but with
> my variable names:...presumably because the total length of
> the variable names is smaller?)
Ah... this is why it is so important to report the exact problem in
problem reports, not a tentative diagnosis!
The problem has nothing to do with polynomials or with memory or with
expand; nor does it have to do with the number or length of the variable
names: it is just the names themselves!
The names c1, c2, ..., d1, d2, ..., and e1, e2, ... are used by Maxima
to label user input, Maxima output, and intermediate results, so you
should not use them as variable names. See example below.
-s
PS This is a common problem new users have with Maxima, and we should
think about a design that avoids it. You can change the names of the
labels by setting the variables inchar, outchar, and linechar, but that
is just more complication that new users don't need.
-------------------
(C1) x^3-1;
3
(D1) x - 1
/* d1 refers to the equation above */
(C2) solve(d1,x);
SQRT(3) %I - 1 SQRT(3) %I + 1
(D2) [x = --------------, x = - --------------, x = 1]
2 2
(C3) part(d2,1,2);
SQRT(3) %I - 1
(D3) --------------
2
(C4) pickapart(d3,2);
/* pickapart generates E labels */
(E4) SQRT(3) %I
E4 - 1
(D4) ------
2
/* display the value of some variables */
(C5) c2;
(D5) SOLVE(D1, x)
(C6) d3;
SQRT(3) %I - 1
(D6) --------------
2
(C7) e4;
(D7) SQRT(3) %I