syms x y
V = exp(x)*exp(y)
simplify(V)
So simplify does work. On more complicated problems though, what seems simple to me may not seem simple to you, and to a computer, it may well be confused.
U = 6*exp(x) + 5*exp(-x)*exp(y) + 4*exp(-2*y)*exp(x)
simplify(U)
But simplify has some additional capabilities.
Usimp = simplify(U,'all',true,'steps',100)
And all of those options may be what you are looking to find. The first one is just the original expression.
Usimp(1)
But the second may be more in line with what you were hoping to see.
Usimp(2)
But maybe you might be looking for one of the others. How can simplify know? Maybe there is a common factor that can be removed?
Usimp(3)
And there are many other possibilities, all of which might be of interest. But a computer simply does not have the judgment to know what you personally think is most simple, especially for a complicated expression.
