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RE: best book to quickly master all Mathematica functions, and commands

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg93236] RE: [mg93198] best book to quickly master all Mathematica functions, and commands
  • From: "David Park" <djmpark at comcast.net>
  • Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 05:04:57 -0500 (EST)
  • References: <10922545.1225440724389.JavaMail.root@m02>

The online Mathematica Help accessible from the menu! 

Start with Core Language, Overview. (You can also look at the Virtual Book
and Function Navigator, accessible from the buttons on the upper left hand
corner of any Help page. These are basically different organizations of the
Help pages.)

Read and type. Type a lot, trying out the various commands. First just copy
the examples by typing and evaluating. Then try varying them. Experience is
everything.

After you have become familiar with the basic syntax and commands, try to
'fly solo' by working the simplest math examples you can find from a
non-Mathematica book. It's important to start with simple examples so you
can concentrate on Mathematica and not get stymied by the mathematics.

I don't think anyone ever 'masters' Mathematica. There are too many things
you can do with it. So use MathGroup. I'm always learning techniques and
even basic things from the people here. No question is too simple or
'silly'.

Although there are some reasonably good books out there, and you will get
some recommendations, I don't think they have kept up with Version 6 and one
cannot reproduce the interactive and dynamic capabilities of Mathematica in
a printed book.


David Park
djmpark at comcast.net
http://home.comcast.net/~djmpark 


From: stpatryck [mailto:stpatryck at gmail.com] 

Which book out there is the quickest way to master Mathematica in a
month or so?






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