Try ratsimp with algebraic : true
(%i1) algebraic : true$
(%i2) ratsimp(test1=1/sqrt(2));
(%o2) test1=sqrt(2)/2
(%i3) ratsimp(test2=2*sqrt(2-sqrt(2))/sqrt(2));
(%o3) test2=sqrt(2-sqrt(2))*sqrt(2)
BW
maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu wrote on 11/30/2007 12:53:41 PM:
> I have two expressions, test1=1/sqrt(2) and
> test2=2*sqrt(2-sqrt(2))/sqrt(2), which I would like Maxima to display as
> sqrt(2)/2 and sqrt(2*(sqrt(2)-1)), respectively. Both involve
rationalizing
> the denominator, and the second involves pulling terms inside a radical
(a
> la rootscontract) and factoring inside. Is there a straightforward way
to
> obtain these results? My six attempts in Maxima 5.13.0 for test1
failed:
> ratsimp(test1);
> rat(test1);
> test1,ratalgdenom=true;
> test1,algebraic=true;
> radcan(test1);
> test1,radexpand=true;
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