MathGroup Archive 2005

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Re: n00b

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg62098] Re: [mg62058] n00b
  • From: "David Park" <djmp at earthlink.net>
  • Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 02:52:05 -0500 (EST)
  • Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

If you mean that you would like to see the steps that Mathematica took in
evaluating some complicated integral, the answer is no. And you probably
wouldn't want to see the steps anyway because it would be a little like
watching sausage getting made.

If you want to use Mathematica to see and illustrate integration techniques,
such as might be taught in a college course, the answer is yes. But you will
have to write rules that perform manipulations and perhaps put integrals and
other expressions in a HoldForm. Mathematica evaluates many things
automatically and sometimes for teaching or learning purposes one wants to
stop this. The ExpressionManipulation package and the associated
EvaluationTutorial at my web site has routines and examples of doing this
with step by step manipulations and derivations.

Mathematica really is very good at symbolic manipulations. But it does not
have, built-in, all the various routines you might wish. If you are willing
to write the routines that you need, usually simple and rule based, you can
easily build up the tools you need to perform and teach mathematical theory
in any specific area. It is very worthwhile because you not only learn the
math, but also Mathematica and you end up with useful tools to boot. You
should very seldom have to do things with pencil and paper or via word
processing.

David Park
djmp at earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~djmp/


From: Muteki [mailto:williamfischerco at yahoo.com]
To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net


Hey guys. Sorry I'm really new to Mathematica. I was just wondering if
there was a way to display the math in getting the answer to a problem.
I'm hoping to understand integrals a bit better and I think this would
help. Thanks guys.



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