On 10/17/2010 03:48 PM, Stavros Macrakis wrote:
> Declaring f linear in Maxima is not just an assertion of a
> mathematical property -- it means that f(a+b) automatically simplifies
> to f(a)+f(b). In many cases users want more control than this.
>
> In the case of sum in particular, *infinite* sum is not linear in
> general and Maxima can't know whether sum(...,n) is going to have
> n->inf later in a calculation.
Thanks for this explanation, it makes sense. as for the issue about
integration of sums causing problems, where Maxima knows how to
integrate the individual terms but not how to integrate the sum. What is
the best way to deal with that? This arises sometimes both with 'sum as
well as with small sums made up of + expressions. I don't have an
example ready to hand unfortunately.