Essays in Algebraic Simplification
Abstract
The thesis consists of essays on several aspects of the problem of albegraic simplification by computer. The author first discusses a pattern matching matching system intended to recognize non-obvious occurrences of patterns within algebraic expression. A user of such a system can teach the computer new simplification rules. Then the author reports on new applications of canonical simplification of rational functions. These applications include techniques for picking out coefficients, and for substituting for sums, products, quotients, etc. The final essay is on a new, practical, canonical simplification algorithm for radical expressions (i.e. algebraic expressions including roots of polynomials). The effectiveness of the procedure is assured through proofs of appropriate properties of the simplified forms. Two appendices describe MACSYMA, a computer system for algebraic manipulations, which served as the basis for this work.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0740132
Entities
People
- Richard J. Fateman
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology