GNU Emacs Calc 2.02 Manual
11.3 Simplifying Formulas
The a s (calc-simplify) [simplify] command applies
various algebraic rules to simplify a formula. This includes rules which
are not part of the default simplifications because they may be too slow
to apply all the time, or may not be desirable all of the time. For
example, non-adjacent terms of sums are combined, as in `a + b + 2 a'
to `b + 3 a', and some formulas like `sin(arcsin(x))' are
simplified to `x'.
The sections below describe all the various kinds of algebraic
simplifications Calc provides in full detail. None of Calc's
simplification commands are designed to pull rabbits out of hats;
they simply apply certain specific rules to put formulas into
less redundant or more pleasing forms. Serious algebra in Calc
must be done manually, usually with a combination of selections
and rewrite rules. See section 11.1.5 Rearranging Formulas using Selections.
See section 11.11 Rewrite Rules.
See section 7.5 Simplification Modes, for commands to control what level of
simplification occurs automatically. Normally only the "default
simplifications" occur.
