Mathematica in Action - Softcover

Wagon, Stan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 071672202X ISBN 13: 9780716722021

Publisher: W H Freeman & Co, 1991

Synopsis

Mathematica is revolutionizing mathematics. What the electronic calculator did for arithmetic in the '70s, a powerful new computer language, Mathematica, is doing for all mathematical calculations today. In this task-specific guide to Mathematica for mathematically sophisticated applications, Stan Wagon's goal is to develop the user's mathematical imagination and to unveil the full capacity of the program to achieve impressive results-from standard numerical computations to complex programs at the frontiers of mathematics.

About this title

From the Publisher

"Mathematica in Action, 2nd Edition," is designed both as a guide to the extraordinary capabilities of Mathematica as well as a detailed tour of modern mathematics by one of its leading expositors, Stan Wagon. Ideal for teachers, researchers, mathematica enthusiasts, "Mathematica in Action" leads the reader on a gued tour of elementary calculus, high-precision number theory, fractals, turtle geometry, and numerical analysis. Includes diskette with "Mathematica" programs for DOS/Windows, Macintosh and Unix computer platforms.

From the Back Cover

In this third edition of Mathematica® in Action, award-winning author Stan Wagon guides beginner and veteran users alike through Mathematica's powerful tools for mathematical exploration. The transition to Mathematica 7 is made smooth with plenty of examples and case studies that utilize Mathematica's newest tools, such as dynamic manipulations and adaptive three-dimensional plotting. Mathematica in Action also emphasizes the breadth of Mathematica and the impressive results of combining techniques from different areas. This material enables the reader to use Mathematica to solve a variety of complex problems.

Case studies ranging from elementary to sophisticated are provided throughout. Whenever possible, the book shows how Mathematica can be used to discover new things. Striking examples include the design of a road on which a square wheel bike can ride, the design of a drill that can drill square holes, an illustration of the Banach—Tarski Paradox via hyperbolic geometry, new and surprising formulas for p, the discovery of shadow orbits for chaotic systems, and the use of powerful new capabilities for three-dimensional graphics. Visualization is emphasized throughout, with finely crafted graphics in each chapter.

Wagon is the author of eleven books on mathematics, including A Course in Computational Number Theory, named one of the ten best math books of 2000 by the American Library Association. He has written extensively on the educational applications of Mathematica, including the books VisualDSolve: Visualizing Differential Equations with Mathematica, and Animating Calculus: Mathematica Notebooks for the Laboratory.

From reviews of the second edition:

"In a dazzling range of examples Stan Wagon shows how such features as animation, 3-dimensional graphics and high-precision integer arithmetic can contribute to our understanding and enjoyment of mathematics."
—Richard Walker, The Mathematical Gazette

"The bottom line is that Mathematica in Action is an outstanding book containing many examples of real uses of Mathematica for the novice, intermediate, and expert user."
—Mark McClure, Mathematica in Education and Research

Edition details

• Publisher: W H Freeman & Co
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 071672202X
• ISBN 13: 9780716722021
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 419