Question concerning sum



On 06/24/2010 02:13 PM, Dieter Kaiser wrote:
> Am Samstag, den 19.06.2010, 13:33 -0700 schrieb Paul Bowyer:
>    
>> Hello:
>>
>> Regarding the necessary modifications to
>>
>> implement full support of 0^a expressions,
>>
>> would that likely occur in time for the August release of Maxima-5.22?
>>      
> I had again a look at the problem. I have solved the problem in
> SIMPTIMES. Maxima no longer has a problem with unsimplified 0^a
> expressions and I get no problems with the testsuite and
> share_testsuite.
>
> But there is a next problem. Maxima will handle 0^a like any other
> symbolic expression. Therefore, we get e. g. 0^a-0^a -->  0. We get some
> more correct results, but we get wrong results too.
>
> Furthermore, the initial problem of sum(0^i, i, 0, n) ->  0 is not
> solved. We will get again 0. I have to look for the reason.
>
> So more work is needed.
>
> Dieter Kaiser
>
>
>    

Thank you, Dieter,  for the update.

Since I posted my results on the subject of upgrading maxima to the 
latest release in the PCLinuxOS forum I have received no comments on the 
post, so maybe there isn't much interest. I, however, am interested in 
keeping my personal copy of maxima as current as possible because I rely 
on its accuracy for mathematics calculations I need to do from time to 
time. I'm not working on anything earth-shattering, but it's important 
to me.

I really do appreciate all of the assistance I've received from all the 
people who've responded to my requests for help with maxima-related 
questions.

Sincerely,

Paul Bowyer