I suppose you could have some function like RPSqrt, for realpositivesqrt which maps from non-negative reals to non-negative reals.
It would be an error to type RPSqrt(x) unless x were guaranteed to be oretty much explicitly in [0,oo]. Sqrt(x^2) under some conditions might be considered RPSqrt(x) and then x. Sqrt((-x)^2) would also be x. I think abs(x) is a mistake, but people differ on this. Alternatively, something like this (in Maxima) rootsof(g^2-x^2, g). This notation embodies the two roots g=x and g=-x. Doing calculations with this is generally not supported.. In Maxima, it comes up only in the answers for integration if you first say integrate_use_rootsof: true. A more general notation is available in other systems. For example, you might want to give some index number to the particular roots so that you could say rootsof(g^2-x^2,g,1) * rootsof(g^2-x^2,g,2) = -x^2. rootsof(g^2-4,g) is a way of notating {-2,2} in effect, in systems that support something like rootsof. See how far you can push this. Can you take log ( )? RJF On Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 5:49:45 PM UTC-7, Samuel Lelievre wrote: > > 2020-08-05 18:59:01 UTC, rjf: > > > > There are two square roots. In this (classic) integration > > example/bug, a choice has to be made. You know that 4 has > > two square roots, -2 and 2. The integrand, which also can > > be rewritten as sqrt ( 4-4*cos(x/2)^2) , has 2 square > > roots. Therefore there are two potential different values > > for the integral. Any answer that supplies only one answer > > is wrong. > > > Would you agree that: > > - There is a map f from the real interval [0, +oo) > to itself, mapping each element to its square. > > - That map is a continuous increasing bijection. > > - It has a compositional inverse F which is also > a continuous increasing bijection > from the real interval [0, +oo) to itself. > > The map f is commonly called "square" and the map F > is commonly called "square root". The notation > $x \mapsto x^2$ is often used for f, while the > "radical" notation $x \mapsto \sqrt{x}$ is often > used for F. In computer algebra systems, the name > `sqrt` is frequently used for F, while f rarely gets > named at all, with `sq`, `sqr`, `square` possibly > infrequently used. > > You seem to be objecting strongly (please confirm) > about one or several of the following: > > - the naming "square" for f or "square root" for F > > - the "radical" notation $\sqrt$ for F > > - using `sqrt` for F in computer algebra systems > > If so, do you have any suggestion for > > - admissible ways to name them? > > - admissible mathematical notation? > > - admissible naming in computer algebra systems? > > These maps are sometimes useful to consider. > Computing their integrals along some segments > of the interval [0, +oo) is sometimes needed. > > Is it admissible to compute such integrals? > How can we talk about these computations? > > For sure, > > - There is also a map g from the interval (-oo, +oo) > to the interval [0, +oo), mapping each element > to its square; > this map is surjective; under it, 0 has a single > preimage while all other real numbers have two; > it is therefore not bijective; the inverse relation > "sends" 0 to itself and any positive real y > to the two opposite reals whose square y is. > > - There is also a map h from the field of complex numbers > to itself, mapping each element to its square; > this map is surjective; under it, 0 has a single > preimage while all other complex numbers have two; > it is therefore not bijective; the inverse relation > "sends" 0 to itself and any nonzero complex number z > to the two opposite complex numbers whose square z is. > > I have observed that frequently, discussing the map F > or the computation of its integral along a subinterval > of [0, +oo) leads to lengthy discussions about the map g > or the map h and their inverse relations. > > I am wondering about any appropriate vocabulary that can > be used in order to discuss the maps f and F without having > to discuss the maps g and h and their inverse relations. > > The maps g and h and their inverse relations are important. > It is sometimes important not to forget that they are not > bijective and that most elements in their range have two > preimages under them. But sometimes that's not the topic, > and people are just discussing the map F. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "sage-devel" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to sage-devel+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/sage-devel/7dc51e63-35b1-4435-90ac-288cf0d88197o%40googlegroups.com.