I would like to automatically linearize some long equations in the scope of variational calculus. Here follows an example of what I need to do :
Given two variables $a_1 = q_1 + \delta q_1$ and $a_2 = q_2 + \delta q_2$ and a product $${a_1}^2\, a_2 = {q_1}^2 q_2 + 2q_1q_2\delta q_1 + q_2{\delta q_1}^2 + {q_1}^2\delta q_2 + 2q_1\delta q_1 \delta q_2 + {\delta q_1}^2 \delta q_2$$
I would like to eliminate any variable preceded by the $\delta$ symbol which power is superior to 1 (make it equal to zero), and any product of two variables preceded by the $\delta$ symbol (make the product equal to zero also). So as to obtain :
$${a_1}^2\, a_2 = {q_1}^2 q_2 + 2q_1q_2\delta q_1 + {q_1}^2\delta q_2$$
I first tried the Assumptions
options while expanding :
a1 = Subscript[q, 1] + Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1];
a2 = Subscript[q, 2] + Subscript[\[Delta]q, 2];
Expand[a1^2*a2, Assumptions -> Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1]^2 = 0]
Which returned the following :
Set::write: Tag Rule in Assumptions->Subsuperscript[\[Delta]q, 1, 2] is Protected. >>
(Subscript[q, 1] + Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1])^2 (Subscript[q,
2] + Subscript[\[Delta]q, 2])
Of course it didn't work. Truth is that I don't know how to start this... Does someone has any ideas?
I also tried :
a1 = Subscript[q, 1] + Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1];
a2 = Subscript[q, 2] + Subscript[\[Delta]q, 2];
b = Expand[a1^2*a2];
Assuming[Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1]^2 == 0, b]
which didn't work either and returned :
\!\(
\*SubsuperscriptBox[\(q\), \(1\), \(2\)]\
\*SubscriptBox[\(q\), \(2\)]\) +
2 Subscript[q, 1] Subscript[q, 2] Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1] +
Subscript[q, 2]
\!\(\*SubsuperscriptBox[\(\[Delta]q\), \(1\), \(2\)]\) + \!\(
\*SubsuperscriptBox[\(q\), \(1\), \(2\)]\
\*SubscriptBox[\(\[Delta]q\), \(2\)]\) +
2 Subscript[q, 1] Subscript[\[Delta]q, 1] Subscript[\[Delta]q,
2] + \!\(
\*SubsuperscriptBox[\(\[Delta]q\), \(1\), \(2\)]\
\*SubscriptBox[\(\[Delta]q\), \(2\)]\)
Set[]
(=
) where you should have usedEqual[]
(==
). Mind the difference! $\endgroup$Expand[]
is not at all affected byAssuming[]
, notwithstanding the fact that you did the expansion outside the confines ofAssuming[]
. TryAssuming[Subscript[δq, 1] == 0, Simplify[a1^2 a2] // Expand]
. $\endgroup$Assuming[Subscript[δq, 1]^2 == 0, Simplify[a1^2 a2] // Expand]
, but still doesn't work $\endgroup$