Algebraic Simplification: A Guide for the Perplexed

Algebraic simplification is examined first from
the point of view of a user who needs to comprehend 
a large expression, and second from the point of view
of a designer who wants to construct a useful and 
efficient system.  First we describe various techniques
akin to substitution.  These techniques can be 
used to decrease thesize of an expression and make it
more intelligible to a user.  Then we delineate 
the spectrum of approaches to the design of automatic simplification
capabilities in an algebraic manipulation 
system.  Systems are divided into five types.  Each type
provides different facilities for the manipulation 
and simplification of expressions. Finally we discuss
some of the theoretical results related to algebraic 
simplification.  We describe several positive results
about the existence of powerful simplification 
algorithms and the number-theoretic conjectures on which
they rely.  Results about the nonexistence of 
algorithms for certain classes of expressions are included.

CACM August, 1971

Moses, J.

algebraic manipulation, algebraic simplification,
canonical simplification

3.1 3.2 3.6 4.9 5.2 5.9

CA710805 JB February 2, 1978  3:42 PM

1396	4	2167
1396	4	2167
1946	4	2167
2167	4	2167
2167	4	2167
2167	4	2167
2167	4	2167
2857	4	2167
2956	4	2167
1379	5	2167
1393	5	2167
1392	5	2167
2167	5	2167
2167	5	2167
2167	5	2167
2164	5	2167
2169	5	2167
2170	5	2167
2323	5	2167
2719	5	2167
1626	6	2167
210	6	2167
2151	6	2167
2164	6	2167
2165	6	2167
2167	6	2167
2167	6	2167
2167	6	2167
2167	6	2167
2166	6	2167
2170	6	2167
2210	6	2167
2645	6	2167
2657	6	2167