[Axiom-developer] coerce, cast, partial fractions

[Tim Daly]

Bill,

re: coerce vs casting

I wouldn't equate coercions with type casting. First, type casting in
languages like C "reinterpret" the bits. Coercions reinterpret the
type and potentially rewrite the representation. Second, type casting
traditionally references the "top level type" whereas Axiom can reach
into the type tower and move an "internal" type (e.g. UP(x,INT) to
UP(x,FRAC INT)).

re: partial fractions

If I understand the partialFraction answer (perhaps I don't) the
result given is a partial fraction as far as Axiom is concerned.
Partial fractions work on the factored equation and it appears
that Axiom doesn't think it can factor the equation over the
target domain so the partial fraction uses the "fully factored"
value. The issue appears to be that the target domain chosen by
the interpreter is one in which there are no factors. Or perhaps
it is just a street-level bug :-)

Tim