If you have a chance, I recommend that you check out whether Mathematica (or
Maple or Mupad or ....) can do the calculation you have in mind. There are
many defects in these systems, in the past this has especially been the case
regarding what they do with what you are trying out: assumptions. With
Maxima you have the possibility of making the underlying system better, at
least in principle.
RJF
> -----Original Message-----
> From: maxima-admin at math.utexas.edu [mailto:maxima-admin at math.utexas.edu]
> On Behalf Of none none
> Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 7:54 AM
> To: fateman at cs.berkeley.edu
> Cc: macrakis at alum.mit.edu; Maxima at math.utexas.edu
> Subject: Re: [Maxima] simplification based on assumptions
>
> I was just hoping I could get away with using maxima instead of paying
> for mathematica... guess not.
>
(snip)