On Thu, 2005-03-11 at 16:57 +0100, Troumad wrote:
> I'm french and I don't speak english, but i try...
> I will like to be able to factorize fractions like x²-2, but that does
> not go because the root is not whole, it's sqrt(2). It's good with x²-4
> because the root is 2 !
Hi Troumad, perhaps some others can offer further information but I believe that factor is specifically working in the integers. The command describe(factor); shows that it is "over the field of integers" so you will not get it to show (x-sqrt(2))*(x+sqrt(2)). On the other hand you could do solve(x^2-2) which will give you plus and minus sqrt(2) as roots of the polynomial.
Hope this helps, Bob.
--
Dr. Robert J. Jerrard, Professor of Mathematics,
Concordia University College of Alberta,
7128 Ada Blvd., Edmonton, Alberta, T5B 4E4, Canada.
Phone: (780) 479-9291, Fax: (780) 474-1933.