[Maxima] single quote

[Wilhelm Haager]

> Could someone explain to me this behaviour? It seems to me that single
> quote is not inhibiting evaluation. Leo.
>
> (%i2) 'sin(1.0);
>
> (%o2) .8414709848078965
> (%i3) '(sin(1.0));
>
> (%o3) .8414709848078965
> (%i4) ? '
>
>   -- Operator: '
>       The single quote operator `'' prevents evaluation.
>
>       Applied to a symbol, the single quote prevents evaluation of the
>       symbol.
>
>       Applied to a function call, the single quote prevents evaluation
>       of the function call, although the arguments of the function are
>       still evaluated (if evaluation is not otherwise prevented).  The
>       result is the noun form of the function call.
>
>       Applied to a parenthesized expression, the single quote prevents
>       evaluation of all symbols and function calls in the expression.
>       E.g., `'(f(x))' means do not evaluate the expression `f(x)'.
>       `'f(x)' (with the single quote applied to `f' instead of `f(x)')
>       means return the noun form of `f' applied to `[x]'.
>
>
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Maxima distinguishes between "evaluation" and "simplification";
Arithmetic computations are a simplification, not an evaluation.
Thus, sin(1.0) simplifies to the numerical result,
regardless of the single quote operator.

Simplification can be supressed by setting the (undocumented?)
flag "simp" to false.

Wilhelm Haager