Symbolic Math shows weird behavior - not seen in Wolfram or Octave

Hello everyone!

I was trying to calculate a real eigenvector of a matrix containing trigonometric functions. The only real eigenvalue is 0. Here is my solution by hand using a vector product for :

The cancels out with the cosine into .

For the code I replaced the function with so terms could cancel out as by hand, since they did not with .

Here is the code:

%pkg load symbolic % only for octave

syms x
A = sym([1 -2*cos(x) 0; -sin(x)/cos(x)*sin(x) 1 cos(x); 1 -2*sin(x)/cos(x)*sin(x) 2])
[V,D] = eig(A)
V(:,1)*(1-2*sin(x)^2)

Output of Octave 6.1.0 (with SymPy 1.5.1 managing symbolic math):

Output of Matlab R2020b:

What am I missing / doing wrong?

Answer 1

[Paul]

It looks like the expected solution can be obtained with some work. Maybe someone else can get there faster.

>> syms x real
>> A = sym([1 -2*cos(x) 0; -sin(x)/cos(x)*sin(x) 1 cos(x); 1 -2*sin(x)/cos(x)*sin(x) 2])
 
A =
 
[                1,            -2*cos(x),      0]
[ -sin(x)^2/cos(x),                    1, cos(x)]
[                1, -(2*sin(x)^2)/cos(x),      2]
>> [V,D]=eig(A)
 
V =
 
[ ((cos(x)^4 + 3*cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3) + 4/3))/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - (2*(cos(x)^4 + cos(x)^2*sin(x)^4 + cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2))/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - (cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3) + 4/3)^2)/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6), - (2*(cos(x)^4 + cos(x)^2*sin(x)^4 + cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2))/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - ((cos(x)^4 + 3*cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2)*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 + (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3))/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - (cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 + (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3)^2)/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6), - (2*(cos(x)^4 + cos(x)^2*sin(x)^4 + cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2))/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - ((cos(x)^4 + 3*cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2)*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 - (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3))/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - (cos(x)^2*sin(x)^2*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 - (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3)^2)/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6)]
[      ((3*cos(x)^3 + 2*cos(x)*sin(x)^4)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3) + 4/3))/(2*(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6)) - (cos(x)^3 + 2*cos(x)*sin(x)^4 + cos(x)^3*sin(x)^2)/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - (cos(x)^3*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3) + 4/3)^2)/(2*(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6)),      - (cos(x)^3 + 2*cos(x)*sin(x)^4 + cos(x)^3*sin(x)^2)/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - ((3*cos(x)^3 + 2*cos(x)*sin(x)^4)*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 + (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3))/(2*(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6)) - (cos(x)^3*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 + (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3)^2)/(2*(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6)),      - (cos(x)^3 + 2*cos(x)*sin(x)^4 + cos(x)^3*sin(x)^2)/(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6) - ((3*cos(x)^3 + 2*cos(x)*sin(x)^4)*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 - (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3))/(2*(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6)) - (cos(x)^3*(1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 - (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 4/3)^2)/(2*(cos(x)^4 - 2*sin(x)^6))]
[                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           1,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         1,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         1]
 
 
D =
 
[ 1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) + (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3) + 4/3,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           0,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           0]
[                                                                                                                                                                                     0, 4/3 - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 - (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)),                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           0]
[                                                                                                                                                                                     0,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           0, 4/3 - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)/2 + (3^(1/2)*(1/(9*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3)) - (((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))*1i)/2 - 1/(18*(((cos(x)^2 + sin(x)^2 - 1/27)^2 - 1/729)^(1/2) - cos(x)^2 - sin(x)^2 + 1/27)^(1/3))]
 
>> D=simplify(diag(D),300)  % unclear why D(1) doesn't simplify to 2 - 1i
 
D =
 
 2 - (2*(-1)^(1/3)*(2*3^(1/2) - 3)*(- 15*3^(1/2) - 26)^(1/3))/3 - 3^(1/2)/3
                                                                          0
                                                                     2 + 1i
 
>> V2=V(:,2);  % pick the eigenvector associated with lamda = 0

>> simplify(imag(V2),100)  % verify the imaginary part is 0
 
ans =
 
 0
 0
 0
 
>> V2=real(V2);  % grab the real part
>> V2=simplify(V2,100)
 
V2 =
 
         - 1/cos(2*x) - 1
 -cos(x)/(2*cos(x)^2 - 1)
                        1
 
 
>> simplify(V2*(1-2*sin(x)^2),100)
 
ans =
 
 -2*cos(x)^2
     -cos(x)
    cos(2*x)

[Stiv Nikolov]

Thanks!

I just could not figure out why it behaved this way and did not simplify in the first place. The z component of the vector was of the same form, which confused me even more as it seemed to work in at least some place.