[GiNaC-list] sqrt(x*x) Simplification

[Freddie Witherden]

Hi,

On 13 Dec 2008, at 22:12, Richard B. Kreckel wrote:
> Look up 'possymbol' in the user manual.

That did the trick, thanks.

However, it doesn't seem to reduce the case of possymbol x("x"),  
y("y"); ex expr = sqrt(x*x*y*y) or sqrt(pow(x*y,2)); Although both are  
 >0 and real it is not reduced to x*y. I have played around with some  
of the factorization functions to no avail. Does GiNaC support this  
kind of simplification? Could very well just be me missing something  
in the reference (Doxygen) docs.

(Although strictly speaking I enquired about sqrt(x*x); sqrt(y*y*x*x)  
where x and y are real > 0, it is something of a natural extension.)

Regards, Freddie.