Can I check if factored and expanded polynomial forms are equal?

>> syms w k

>> isequal((w^2-k^2),(w+k)*(w-k))

ans =

logical

0

Is there a way to tell that w^2-k^2 and (w+k)*(w-k) are equal?

Also tried isequal(expand(),expand()) method but expand() may order two polynomials that are the same differently and in these instances isequal() returns logical = 0.

Answer 1

[Vladimir Sovkov]

simplify((w^2-k^2) - (w+k)*(w-k))

ans =

0

expand((w+k)*(w-k))

ans =

w^2 - k^2

factor(w^2-k^2)

ans =

[ -1, k - w, k + w]

[Vladimir Sovkov]

isequal  ( sort ( factor(w^2-k^2) ) , sort ( factor((w-k)*(w+k)) )  )

ans =

logical

1

Answer 2

[Steven Lord]

>> syms w k
>> x1 = (w^2-k^2);
>> x2 = (w+k)*(w-k);
>> isAlways(x1 == x2)

ans =

  logical

   1