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Computer Algebra Recipes for Mathematical Physics
 INFORMATION:
Author(s) : Richard H. Enns
Publisher : Birkhauser Boston; 1 edition
Date : 2004
Pages : 390
Format : PDF
ISBN : 0817632239
This book is a self-contained guide to problem-solving and exploration in mathematical physics using the powerful Maple 9.5 computer algebra system (CAS). With a CAS one cannot only crunch numbers and plot results, but also carry out the symbolic manipulations which form the backbone of mathematical physics. The heart of this text consists of over 230 useful and stimulating \"classic\" computer algebra worksheets or recipes, which are systematically organized to cover the major topics presented in the standard Mathematical Physics course offered to third or fourth year undergraduate physics and engineering students. The emphasis here is on applications, with only a brief summary of the underlying theoretical ideas being presented. The aim is to show how computer algebra can not only implement the methods of mathematical physics quickly, accurately, and efficiently, but can be used to explore more complex examples which are tedious or difficult or even impossible to implement by hand.
No prior knowledge of Maple is assumed in this text, the relevant command structures being introduced on a need-to-know basis. The recipes are thoroughly annotated and, on numerous occasions, presented in a \"story\" format or in a historical context. Each recipe takes the reader from the analytic formulation or statement of a representative type of mathematical physics problem to its analytic or numerical solution and to a graphical visualization of the answer, where relevant. The graphical representations vary from static 2-dimensional pictures, to contour and vector field plots, to 3-dimensional graphs that can be rotated, to animations in time. For your convenience, all 230 recipes are included on the accompanying CD. |
