maxima-bounces at math.utexas.edu wrote on 12/18/2007 08:49:25 AM:
> I have this:
> 2
> sqrt(2) s
> (%o52) -------------------------------
> 2 2
> sqrt(2) w + 2 s w + sqrt(2) s
>
> I want to divide num and den by sqrt(2), resulting in:
>
> 2
> s
> (%o52) -------------------------
> 2 2
> w + sqrt(2) s w + s
>
> What's the easiest way to do this?
Things like this aren't always so easy to do. Here is an obscure way:
(%i37) algebraic : true$
(%i38) sqrt(2) * s^2 /(sqrt(2) * w^2 + 2 * s * w + sqrt(2) * s^2)$
(%i39) 1/ratsimp(1/%);
(%o39) s^2/(w^2+sqrt(2)*s*w+s^2)
You can also try something like
(%i17) algebraic : true$
(%i18) sqrt(2) * s^2 /(sqrt(2) * w^2 + 2 * s * w + sqrt(2) * s^2)$
(%i19) (num(%) / sqrt(2)) / ratsimp((denom(%) / sqrt(2)));
(%o19) s^2/(w^2+sqrt(2)*s*w+s^2)
As you gain experience in using a CAS, you might find that you don't
care as much about the presentation of an expression. Yes, all that
changes when you want to publish your work -- we like things to be
just right.
Barton