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Re: How should I start with mathematica?

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg85405] Re: How should I start with mathematica?
• From: "D. Grady" <D.C.Grady at gmail.com>
• Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 04:17:27 -0500 (EST)
• References: <fobjom$mqj$1@smc.vnet.net> <fogj22$4dt$1@smc.vnet.net>

On Feb 7, 9:41pm, dfla... at rcn.com wrote:
> On Feb 6, 1:23 am, Chengcheng <tntwc_... at yahoo.com.cn> wrote:
> I'm new in mathematica, Is there any approach recommended to start with mathematica?
>
> While it has all been good advice so far, I think two more points
> could be made. Firstly, try to find a problem that you would like to
> solve using Mathematica. Follow the guidance you find in the
> documentation and here in the MathGroup and try to make it work. You
> will probably find a quick but clumsy solution first, and then as your
> understanding of the system grows, you will see new paths. As far as I
> can tell, this process never really stops. Second, find a book in a
> subject area of interest that uses Mathematica to forward its
> discussion. Michael Trott's books are excellent, but encyclopedic. For
> me, I found Stan Wagon's book Mathematica in Action to be a great
> introduction to the style and methodology of working with Mathematica.
> The book is a couple of versions behind, but I understand a new
> edition is in the works. The advantage of such a resource is that
> rather than tackling the giant object that is all of Mathematica, it
> takes a threaded approach showing a path from problem statement to
> solution.
>
> Finally, I would especially recommend David Park's resources both to
> improve Mathematica's functionality, and as examples for how to best
> use this tool.
>
> Dan

Someone named James Kelley at UMD has put together some really great
and extremely free notebooks called Essential Mathematica for Students
of Science.  He goes through most of the important commands, with
explanations, examples, and many practice problems.  I find these
notebooks very helpful.

http://www.physics.umd.edu/courses/CourseWare/EssentialMathematica/

-Daniel

• Follow-Ups:
  • Re: Re: How should I start with mathematica?
    • From: Murray Eisenberg <murray@math.umass.edu>