On Sun, Jan 09, 2005 at 06:51:08PM +0100, Cosimo Fornaro wrote:
>
> I'd like to know if maxima can solve equations with absolute values or irrational equations.
> I tried the followings:
>
> 1) solve(abs(x)=2,x);
If x is complex, abs(x) stands for its modulus and the equation has
an infinite number of solutions. If x is real, Maxima will find each of the
two solutions if you use "assume":
(C2) assume(x>0);
(D2) [x > 0]
(C3) solve(abs(x)=2,x);
(D3) [x = 2]
(C4) forget(x>0);
(D4) [x > 0]
(C5) assume(x<0);
(D5) [x < 0]
(C6) solve(abs(x)=2,x);
(D6) [x = - 2]
I don't know whether there is a way of defining x as real, or whether
solve would return the two solutions if it knew x was real.
Cheers,
Jaime