Re: solve and the facts database

Raymond Toy <[email protected]> Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:15:05 -0700
Newsgroups	gmane.comp.mathematics.maxima.general
Message-ID	<[email protected]>
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On 7/13/26 6:15 AM, David Scherfgen via Maxima-discuss wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I noticed that solve doesn't seem to use the facts database to filter 
> solutions.
>
> For example:
>
> (%i1) assume(x > 0)$
> (%i2) solve(x^2 = 4);
> (%o2) [x = -2, x = 2]
>
> Should this be considered a bug?
I thought it was documented that solve doesn’t use the database, but I 
can’t find any such statement. Maybe that’s just the general 
understanding of what solve does?
>
> Should solve be modified so that it rejects all solutions that 
> contradict the facts database?
> Maybe make it optional to not break existing code?
Probably make it optional? Maybe be adding a new function to apply the 
database to the results returned from solve?
&#8203;
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    <div class=3D"markdown-here-wrapper">
      <p style=3D"margin-bottom: 19.2px; margin-top: 0px;">On 7/13/26 6:1=
5
        AM, David Scherfgen via Maxima-discuss wrote:<br>
      </p>
      <blockquote type=3D"cite"
style=3D"border-block-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-color: rgb=
(119, 119, 119); border-inline-color: rgb(114, 159, 207) rgb(119, 119, 11=
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rgb(119, 119, 119);">
        <div dir=3D"auto">Dear all,
          <div dir=3D"auto"><br>
          </div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">I noticed that solve doesn't seem to use the
            facts database to filter solutions.</div>
          <div dir=3D"auto"><br>
          </div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">For example:</div>
          <div dir=3D"auto"><br>
          </div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">(%i1) assume(x &gt; 0)$</div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">(%i2) solve(x^2 =3D 4);</div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">(%o2) [x =3D -2, x =3D 2]</div>
          <div dir=3D"auto"><br>
          </div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">Should this be considered a bug?</div>
        </div>
      </blockquote>
      I thought it was documented that solve doesn=E2=80=99t use the data=
base,
      but I can=E2=80=99t find any such statement. Maybe that=E2=80=99s j=
ust the general
      understanding of what solve does?
      <blockquote type=3D"cite"
style=3D"border-block-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); border-bottom-color: rgb=
(119, 119, 119); border-inline-color: rgb(114, 159, 207) rgb(119, 119, 11=
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19); padding-inline: 16px; padding-left: 16px; padding-right: 16px; quote=
s: none; text-decoration-color: rgb(119, 119, 119); text-emphasis-color: =
rgb(119, 119, 119);">
        <div dir=3D"auto">
          <div dir=3D"auto"><br>
          </div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">Should solve be modified so that it rejects
            all solutions that contradict the facts database?</div>
          <div dir=3D"auto">Maybe make it optional to not break existing
            code?</div>
        </div>
      </blockquote>
      Probably make it optional? Maybe be adding a new function to apply
      the database to the results returned from solve?
    </div>
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