Simplify

Simplify[expr]

performs a sequence of algebraic and other transformations on expr and returns the simplest form it finds.

Simplify[expr,assum]

does simplification using assumptions.

Details and Options

  • Simplify tries expanding, factoring, and doing many other transformations on expressions, keeping track of the simplest form obtained.
  • Simplify can be used on equations, inequalities, and domain specifications.
  • Quantities that appear algebraically in inequalities are always assumed to be real.
  • FullSimplify does more extensive simplification than Simplify.
  • You can specify default assumptions for Simplify using Assuming.
  • The following options can be given:
  • Assumptions$Assumptionsdefault assumptions to append to assum
    ComplexityFunctionAutomatichow to assess the complexity of each form generated
    TimeConstraint300how many seconds to try doing any particular transformation
    TransformationFunctionsAutomaticfunctions to try in transforming the expression
    TrigTruewhether to do trigonometric as well as algebraic transformations
  • Assumptions can consist of equations, inequalities, domain specifications such as x∈Integers, and logical combinations of these.
  • With the setting TimeConstraint->{tloc,ttot}, at most tloc seconds are spent for any particular transformation, and at most ttot seconds are spent for all transformations before the best result is returned.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (3)

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Simplify can get further if assumptions are made about x:

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Scope  (4)

Options  (10)

Applications  (4)

Properties & Relations  (2)

Possible Issues  (2)

Introduced in 1988
(1.0)
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Updated in 2014
(10.0)