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My question is about an apparent failure of the function "FullSimplify" to simplify an easy algebraic expression.

This is the expression that I ask Mathematica to evaluate:

FullSimplify[Re[a^(I*b)] - Re[a^(-I*b)], Element[a, Reals] && a > 0 && Element[b, Reals]]

This should give the result 0. Instead Mathematica only restates my expression:

Re[a^(-I b) (-1 + a^(2 I b))]

Replacing a and b by actual numbers solves the problem.

What could be the cause of it? How to effectively use FullSimplify (and Simplify, Expand, Integrate and so...) with assumptions?

I read that the order of variables could play a role here, but I couldn't wrap my head around it.

I tried to check for similar problems on the website as well, but I couldn't find any answer that could explain this phenomenon.

Thanks in advance for your support.

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    $\begingroup$ Have you tried ComplexExpand[]? $\endgroup$
    – J. M.'s eventual burnout ♦
    Jun 2, 2015 at 15:33
  • $\begingroup$ It looks like you need to put ComplexExpand under Re[] : FullSimplify[Re[(a^(I*b) - a^(-I*b)) // ComplexExpand], Element[a, Reals] && a > 0 && Element[b, Reals]] $\endgroup$
    – BlacKow
    Jun 2, 2015 at 15:42
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the hint! I don't have my Mathematica copy right here but I'm gonna try it tomorrow! $\endgroup$
    – Giovanni De Gaetano
    Jun 2, 2015 at 17:08
  • $\begingroup$ It works! :) Thanks again! $\endgroup$
    – Giovanni De Gaetano
    Jun 3, 2015 at 6:35

1 Answer 1

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As pointed out in the comments by "Guess who it is" and "BlacKow", the solution is to use the function ComplexExpand[], or to add ComplexExpand under Re[].

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