Hi Bruce,
note that M=b**a'+a**b' works as expected. Then look at:
(-a ** bp) // FullForm
and you see that ** binds stronger than Times. Therefore, a pattern
that works for "-a" as well as "a" reads:
Optional[c1_Integer]c2_** b'**b**c3_->c1 c2** x **c3
hope this helps, Daniel
Bruce Colletti wrote:
> Re Mathematica 6.0.2 under WinXP.
>
> Why doesn't the following substitute x for b'**b (appears in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh summands)? (a**b')**b/.b'**b->x does.
>
> Thankx.
>
> Bruce
>
> In[1]:= M=b**a'-a**b';
> Distribute[M**M**M,Plus]/.b'**b->x
>
> Out[2]= (-a**b^\[Prime])**(-a**b^\[Prime])**(-a**b^\[Prime])+b**a^\[Prime]**(-a**b^\[Prime])**(-a**b^\[Prime])+(-a**b^\[Prime])**b**a^\[Prime]**(-a**b^\[Prime])+(-a**b^\[Prime])**(-a**b^\[Prime])**b**a^\[Prime]+b**a^\[Prime]**b**a^\[Prime]**(-a**b^\[Prime])+b**a^\[Prime]**(-a**b^\[Prime])**b**a^\[Prime]+(-a**b^\[Prime])**b**a^\[Prime]**b**a^\[Prime]+b**a^\[Prime]**b**a^\[Prime]**b**a^\[Prime]
>
>
--
Daniel Huber
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