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The Classification Of Simple Lie Algebras In Maple, D. Russell Sadler

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Lie algebras are invaluable tools in mathematics and physics as they enable us to study certain geometric objects such as Lie groups and differentiable manifolds. The computer algebra system Maple has several tools in its Lie Algebras package to work with Lie algebras and Lie groups. The purpose of this paper is to supplement the existing software with tools that are essential for the classification of simple Lie algebras over C.

In particular, we use a method to find a Cartan subalgebra of a Lie algebra in polynomial time. From the Cartan subalgebra we can compute the corresponding root system. …