Re: [seul-edu] eduml-wiki and Yacas

[lp <prevettl@cochise.cc.az.us>]

Bruno Vernier wrote:
> 
> Eduml-wikis can now do "inline" Yacas symbolic algebra
> 
> <yacas>
> Solve ( x + 7 == 2 , x )
> </yacas>
> 
> renders  "5"
> 
> <yacas>
> Solve ( x + y == z , x)
> </yacas>
> 
> renders  "z - y"
> 
> and in order to combine that with python, I've added a yacas() function that
> takes yacas input and outputs yacas output.
> 
> I love open source;  Once I re-discovered Yacas, it took me all of 15
> minutes to embed yacas into eduml-wiki
> 
> Yacas = Yet another computer algebra system
> 
> it is a symbolic algebra language that simplifies polynomials and fractions
> and trig expressions, it solves linear and quadratic systems, uses the
> Newton method to converge towards roots in other types of functions
> 
> it can also do elementary logic proofs
> 
> it can tell what type of numbers we are dealing with; complex, real,
> rational, integer, even, odd etc...
> 
> Bruno
> 
> see http://ess.vancouver.bc.ca/zope/bruno/eduml/Yacas
> --

This is a step in the right direction for math I think.
I would also suggest experimenting with Maxima and Octave. 
They are both easy to install. My impression is that Maxima
is a computer algebra system that is similar in some respects
to Mathematica, and Octave is similar to Matlab. Mathematica and
Matlab are two of the primary commerical applications used widely
in math departments at major universities. Even though high 
schools (or community colleges) might not be able to afford 
site licenses for Mathematica or Matlab, if students have some 
experience with Maxima, Octave, they might be much better 
prepared for a first encounter with Mathematica or Matlab.

If someone from a major university could verify or expound 
on this impression between the similarities between 
Mathematica/Maxima Matlab/Octave, that would really be 
appreciated. I think I'm correct about this, but I'm
not 100% sure!

L. Prevett
Mathematics Instructor
Cochise College, Sierra Vista, AZ, US
prevettl@cochise.cc.az.us