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Right, that's why you need further assumptions on x in order for that simplification to hold.
 help



It's not a simplification, it's wrong. Sqrt(square(x)) equals abs(x).

It also equals x with appropriate assumptions (x > 0).

Well, then sin(x) = x if x is infinitely small

> Assuming[x == 0, Simplify[Sin[x] == x]]

Mathematica returns True. And any middle schooler will also tell you it's true.

The only reasonable interpretation of "infinitely small" is that it's zero.


so there's an unconditionally correct answer (it's also equal to abs(x) for x>0), and then there is an answer that is only correct for half the domain, which requires an additional assumption.

sqrt(square(i)) != abs(i)

So no, it’s not unconditionally correct either.


Not in general. As people have pointed out elsewhere, it's true if x is real. That isn't always a helpful assumption. (When x is real you can plug that assumption into Mathematica. Then Mathematica should agree with you.)

But consider sqrt(i) = sqrt(exp(i\pi/2)). That's exp(i\pi/4). Your rule would give 1 as the answer. It's not helpful for a serious math system to give that answer to this problem.

When I square 1 I don't get i.




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