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Re: classsical Programing vs a math package

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg16668] Re: classsical Programing vs a math package
  • From: "David P. Johnson" <johnson at ae.msstate.edu>
  • Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 12:54:13 -0500
  • Organization: Mississippi State University
  • References: <7bg334$5p3@smc.vnet.net>
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

In article <7bg334$5p3 at smc.vnet.net>, bernard keenan
<kaylob at worldnet.att.net> wrote:

> Hi all I am compiling an article for my engineering newspaper on the
> advantages of a package like mathematica vs clasical programing like C.
> Currently my school teaches C and I am trying to do a balanced unbiased
> article.
> Any help greatly appreciated
> 
> Any help is greatly appreciated.
> 
> Bernard Keenan

I teach engineering mechanics. A couple of semesters ago, I taught our
mechanics of composite materials class. Traditionally in this class,
students write their own program to perform classical lamination theory
calculations. 

This was my first time teaching the class, and I had lost the program I
wrote so many years ago, so I decided to write my own CLT program along
with my students. All of the students chose classical programming
languages like Fortran, C, and MatLab. I chose Mathematica.

The difference was amazing, I thought. I was able to keep way ahead of
the students quite easily. No time wasted trying to get format
statements right. Matrix multiplication is trivial. 

The only drawback is that execution is not instantaneous, as it is with
a compiled program..

-- 
David
->(Signature continues here)


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