On 10/15/2010 12:11 PM, Leo Butler wrote:
>
> On Thu, 14 Oct 2010, Evan Cooch wrote:
>
> < Actually -- I lie. I did look at impdiff, but without some worked examples
> < for the implicit_derivative function, wasn't sure how to proceed (it would be
> < handy if everything was defined/described with at least one or more worked
> < examples -- a general comment, and not simply one directed at Maxima). In
> < looking at the basic description, it involves an array function, amongst other
> < things I'm not (as of yet) familiar with. I was looking for the path of least
> < resistance -- a workable solution (that was somewhat more forgiving for
> < newcomers than this function seems to be) was posted earlier.
> <
>
> I would suggest you look at Ted Woollett's tutorial "Maxima by Example"
> listed at
> http://maxima.sourceforge.net/documentation.html
>
> Ted discusses your implicit differentiation question in ch. 6, and
> gives his own solution, which is readily understandable by your
> students.
>
> Leo
>
Thanks very much -- perhaps even understandable to the instructor
(although at this point, I've seen lots of evidence that the
instructor's limits are more trying to un-learn habits developed over
long-term use of Maple).