1
$\begingroup$

When I input this function in Maple:

f := (x, y) -> exp(x+xy-2*y) 

And take the derivative:

diff(f(x, y), x); 

I receive:

exp(x + xy - 2 y) 

But I would have expected it to be:

(1+y)exp(x+xy-2y) 

Does anyone have an explanation for this?

  • 4
    Even in Mathematica **xy** is a variable, not a product. You have to write **x y** for Mathematica to interpret it as an implicit product.2011-11-23

1 Answers 1

4

Maple understand each (non-predefined) expression of the form abcde as one variable. It also works for Mathematica where abcde means one variable while a b c d e is understood as a product of $5$ variables. Spaces does not work for Maple formulas typed in plain text, so you have to use * each time you want to multiply (works as well for Mathematica).

  • 0
    @acer: thanks, I didn't know it since never used 2D Math input2011-11-23