Measurement of the matrix elements for the decays eta -> pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) and eta/eta ' -> pi(0)pi(0)pi(0)

Based on a sample of 1.31 x 10(9) J/psi events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, Dalitz plot analyses of selected 79,625 eta -> pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) events, 33,908 eta -> pi(0)pi(0)pi(0) events, and 1,888 eta' -> pi(0)pi(0)pi(0) events are performed. The measured matrix elements of eta -> pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) are in reasonable agreement with previous measurements. The Dalitz plot slope parameters of eta -> pi(0)pi(0)pi(0) and eta' -> pi(0)pi(0)pi(0) are determined to be -0.055 +/- 0.014 +/- 0.004 and -0.640 +/- 0.046 +/- 0.047, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. Both values are consistent with previous measurements, while the precision of the latter one is improved by a factor of 3. Final state interactions are found to have an important role in those decays.