Michael Kleber writes: << Mathematica vs Dan Asimov: [I wrote:] << PUZZLE: Given that x^2 + log_10 (2x) = 3, solve for x > 0 in closed form [most of Mathematica session omitted here] 5 Log[10] Out[2]= {{x -> Sqrt[---------]}} Log[100] Aah, much better. I have no idea why it fails to recognize Log[10]/Log[100].

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OK, I'm impressed. It essentially solved it, though I agree it's mysterious why it screwed up with the last little simplification. (Perhaps a repeated Simplify[], or a FullSimplify[], would do the trick?) I wonder what kind of algorithm it used to solve such an offbeat equation. (The answer, as you've all realized by now, is x = sqrt(10) / 2.) --Dan