log10, was: bug report, or am I doing something wrong?

there are many functions that exist only for translation into other
forms (e.g. we COULD integrate in terms of classical
orthonormal polynomials, but probably they are converted to
ordinary polynomials; we COULD integrate in terms of sec(x), but
that might be changed to 1/(cos(x))), and there are some functions
that are only good for numerical evaluation.  With more work
some of them might become symbolically available, so it is
possible any list could change.   For the
most part, anything you define yourself cannot be handled
symbolically except if it returns a symbolic expression. e.g.
let
f(x):= block([sum:0], for i:0 thru x do(print(i), sum:sum^2*(i^2)), sum);

can you differentiate or integrate f?  Can you simplify f(x)*f(x+1)?

Some functions can be evaluated only in floating-point, too.

I agree that an initial characterization of what can be done with which
functions might be useful; this information is, I think, in the
(commercial) Macsyma documentation, but spread over all the
functions.
RJF


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frank Palazzolo" <frank.palazzolo at mcm1.com>
To: "'Robert Dodier'" <robert.dodier at gmail.com>
Cc: <maxima at math.utexas.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 8:21 AM
Subject: RE: [Maxima] log10, was: bug report, or am I doing something wrong?


>
>>log10 is a function which appears in problems in some nontrivial domains
>>(high school math, engineering, maybe others).
>
>>> So you would find it acceptable that log10(x)/log(x) not simplify?
>
>>yes.
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm just curious if there are other functions that exist in Maxima that 
> fall
> into this same category - i.e. "Function implemented enough for
> calculational work but symbolically separate from most of the rest of the
> machinery of Maxima".  (log10(x)/log(x) or integral(log10(x),x) does
> nothing.)
>
> At mimimum, I would definitely like to be warned in the documentation to
> "stay away from these functions for symbolic work."
>
> Thanks,
> Frank
>
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