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Maple, Matlab, Mathematica

Hi all,

I know that Maple and Matlab are the most prevalent mathematical software used in university maths departments. From what I know, Matlab is only capable of numerical calculation whereas Maple is capable of algerbic manilpulation. Is that true? (By algerbic manipulation, I mean things like expansion and factorisation, differentiation, integration, partial fraction, summation and so on...)

Also, what is the difference between Maple and Mathematica then, given that both can do algebraic manipulation? What advantage does Maple have over Mathematica such that Maple is generally preferred?
Reply 1
Avatar for SsEe
SsEe
13
Don't know about Matlab. But I've used both Mathematica and Maple. Mathematica is more graphical, wheras Maple requires you to learn the syntax before it'll do what you want it to do! I think the coding side of Mathematica is a bit more complex than that of Maple. I prefer mathematica though - I can do all the "standard" things without needing to know any syntax.

My 2p.
Reply 2
Avatar for s.e.r.e.n.e
s.e.r.e.n.e
OP
12
SsEe
Don't know about Matlab. But I've used both Mathematica and Maple. Mathematica is more graphical, wheras Maple requires you to learn the syntax before it'll do what you want it to do! I think the coding side of Mathematica is a bit more complex than that of Maple. I prefer mathematica though - I can do all the "standard" things without needing to know any syntax.

My 2p.

OK thanks... so I think i'm getting a copy of mathematica...

what are the standard things? like expansion or algebra?

Hey I just want to ask one more thing: sometimes we are asked to prove a certain result, and we start by writing down some expression that's really messy, and hopefully on simplifying it would reduce to the sweet result at the end that we are required to prove.

Can we use Mathematica to prove it... say we type the beginning and the end, and Mathematica do the steps in between?
Reply 3
Avatar for SsEe
SsEe
13
Spencer.Smith
OK thanks... so I think i'm getting a copy of mathematica...

what are the standard things? like expansion or algebra?

Hey I just want to ask one more thing: sometimes we are asked to prove a certain result, and we start by writing down some expression that's really messy, and hopefully on simplifying it would reduce to the sweet result at the end that we are required to prove.

Can we use Mathematica to prove it... say we type the beginning and the end, and Mathematica do the steps in between?


Standard things are simplifying messy expressions, solving equations, multiplying matrices, finding determinants, summing infinite series and finding limits, integrating/differentiating, modular arithmetic, factorizing large numbers, primality testing, factorizing polynomials (even over different fields) etc etc.

You can't fill in the gaps.
Reply 4
Avatar for dimexi
dimexi
16
Spencer.Smith
Hi all,

I know that Maple and Matlab are the most prevalent mathematical software used in university maths departments. From what I know, Matlab is only capable of numerical calculation whereas Maple is capable of algerbic manilpulation. Is that true? (By algerbic manipulation, I mean things like expansion and factorisation, differentiation, integration, partial fraction, summation and so on...)

Also, what is the difference between Maple and Mathematica then, given that both can do algebraic manipulation? What advantage does Maple have over Mathematica such that Maple is generally preferred?

MATLAB is EXTREMELY powerful and it does all those algebraic manipulations you speak of. I am sure it does partial fractions though I havent used it but it def does Fourier series, integration, differentiation, taylor series and the lot! it's a pretty nifty piece of software..
The student edition is about £50 in the bookshops and does most of the functions you need for uni.. The simulink aspect of the student version is a bit restricted though :smile:
Don't buy it now. You can get a site liscence from most unis and they have it much cheaper!
Reply 6
Avatar for Ben
Ben
12
You could also try one of the free open-source ones, such as Maxima. For a quick introduction to Maxima, check out this 10 minute tutorial.
Reply 7
Avatar for s.e.r.e.n.e
s.e.r.e.n.e
OP
12
I would definitely want those that are licensed as they should be more powerful (and more generally in use).

Seeing that Mathematica has a more graphical UI, I think I'm going to go for that. Sadly, Imperial doesn't use Mathematica.
matlab is more useful for lin.alg but maple for graphical interface and mathematica for similar things. afaik

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