Computational Symbolic Mathematics

Computational symbolic mathematics is a one-unit hands-on seminar course on the use of sophisticated computer algebra systems for addressing mathematical problems that are primarily or entirely symbolic (rather than numerical). Examples will come from the undergraduate curriculum including calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, probability and statistics, and symbolic logic. Students will program in Mathematica but the principles presented apply as well to Mathics, SymPy, Matlab's Symbolic math toolbox, and other systems. (No prior experience with symbol-manipulation programs is assumed.) Students will learn how to exploit special functionality of symbol-manipulating programs, such as Groebner bases. Class lectures will be highly interactive, where both the instructor and students program. There will be weekly homework assignments and a final programming exam.