Maxima for numerical methods (v. Scilab)?

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nicolas Pettiaux" <nicolas.pettiaux at ael.be>
To: "Alasdair McAndrew" <amca01 at gmail.com>
Cc: "maxima list" <maxima at math.utexas.edu>
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Maxima] Maxima for numerical methods (v. Scilab)?


> 2006/4/29, Alasdair McAndrew <amca01 at gmail.com>:
>> It seems I may be teaching an elementary subject in numerical computation
>> next semester.  The usual sorts of things: error analysis, solution of
>> equations, interpolation, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, quadrature,
>> differential equations.  I want to base the subject around free software, 
>> so
>> the students can use it at home.

This doesn't seem like a very good argument -- there are student licenses 
for
software that are less expensive than textbooks, and you seem to
be expecting students to have relatively expensive computers at home.
(I thought mupad had free student use licenses, too)

You might also find a truly useful textbook that was in some way tied to
a particular CAS that could make your work much easier.

Nevertheless, if you decide on free software, I agree with Nicolas-- I hope 
you can use
the opportunity to write a nice book.

You should obviously look at the other books on this topic using
computer algebra systems, for hints on what can be done neatly,
symbolically.  Or books using Matlab etc.

I think you may find it useful to use both kinds of software. Students
with a familiarity with Matlab or a clone of it may find this useful, too.