Mapple can't solve the following system of equation

[sean]

I'm pretty new to maple. I was trying to compare the solutions
obtained using Mathematica to that from Maple and to my surprise, the
Maple doesn't seem to be able to generate a solution.(?)

solve({0 = vi-vd*X*C/(Kd+C)-kd*C, 0 = V1*(1-M)/(K1+1-M) - V2*M/(K2+M),
0 = V3*(1-X)/(K3+1-X)-V4*X/(K4+X)}, [C, M, X])

Following output is generated. I'm having hard time understanding
what this means.

[[C = RootOf(kd*_Z^2+(-vi+vd*RootOf((V3-V4)*_Z^2+(-V3+V3*K4+K3*V4+V4)
*_Z-V3*K4)+Kd*kd)*_Z-vi*Kd), M = RootOf((V1-V2)*_Z^2+(-
V1+V1*K2+K1*V2+V2)*_Z-V1*K2), X = RootOf((V3-V4)*_Z^2+(-
V3+V3*K4+K3*V4+V4)*_Z-V3*K4)]]

What does that RootOf() imply? how will I proceed from here?

Thanks a bunch for any info in advance.

sean

[Axel Vogt]

'RootOf' is Maple's way to prevent lengthy answers from being
shown directly.

If you lookup the help for 'RootOf' you can find an answer to
your question at the end (though it is a bit nasty to follow
the description).

Here there 2 ways to work with R:=solve(your stuff):

a) You do not want care for subtleties and are happy with the
principal roots. Then convert(R, radical) is enough.
And using simplify(%,size) afterwards it becomes more readable.

b) You want to have all solutions, if possible: [allvalues(R)]
will return 8 solutions, each of ~ 3.000 characters.