First, this is not a homework assignment. I am evaluating Maple as a replacement for a paper notebook since I never seem to have one at hand when I want one. I want to be able to do algebra but seemingly at a finer level of detail than factor, collect, simplify, and expand seem to offer. Here is what seems like a very simple example that I cannot crack:
(x-a)2-2a(x-a)
should simplify to
x2 - a2
No matter what try with factor, collect, simplify, sort, and expand, I cannot get it past
x2 - 2xa + a2 + 2a(x - a)
How can I get maple to expand and collect specific terms in an expression?