Modern computational tools are important in diverse disciplines, and they are clearly essential in fields requiring sophisticated mathematics, complicated numerics or the processing of large amounts of data. Over time each field has developed an array of their own specialised solutions or packages.
However, a campus-wide license has recently been obtained for the package Mathematica developed by Wolfram Research Inc. Mathematica is one of a very small group of extremely powerful, high-level software packages specialising in advanced algebraic, numerical and image processing computation.
At Stellenbosch University colleagues have been using it successfully in the biological, mathematical and physical sciences, and also in economic and management sciences for both teaching and research. It is therefore really worthwhile exploring whether it is suitable for your academic work too.
In addition to its function as a high-performance research tool it is has also developed to be an efficient, user-friendly teaching device. It is powerful beyond any other general symbolic manipulation package, and easy to use at base level. Mathematica places the emphasis on computation of mathematical objects and comes with its own formal language. It also interfaces with an extensive audited database, which might be known to some readers through the Wolfram Alpha website.
For a license to use the Mathematica software, please contact narga@sun.ac.za.
[Article by Kristian Muller-Nedebock]
Moderne berekeningshulpmiddels is belangrik in verskeie dissiplines, en veral noodsaaklik in studievelde waar gesofistikeerde wiskunde, komplekse getalle of die verwerking van groot hoeveelheid data vereis word. Mettertyd het elke veld sy eie versameling gespesialiseerde oplossings of pakkette ontwikkel.
’n Kampuswye lisensie is egter onlangs verkry vir die pakket Mathematica wat deur Wolfram Research Inc ontwikkel is. Mathematica is een van ’n baie klein groep buitengewoon kragtige, hoëvlak sagtewarepakkette wat spesialiseer in gevorderde algebra, getalle en beeldverwerkingsberekenings.
By die Universiteit Stellenbosch het kollegas dit reeds met welslae gebruik in die biologiese, wiskundige en fisiese wetenskappe, sowel as in die ekonomiese en bestuurswetenskappe in beide onderrig en navorsing. Dit is dus regtig die moeite werd om uit te vind of dit ook toepaslik vir jou akademiese werk kan wees.
Bykomend tot sy funksie as ’n hoëprestasie navorsingshulpmiddel, het dit ook ontwikkel tot ’n doeltreffende, gebruikersvriendelike onderrig-instrument. Dit is kragtiger as enige ander algemene simbool-manipulasiepakket en boonop maklik om te gebruik op basisvlak. Mathematica plaas die klem op die berekening van wiskundige objekte en kom met sy eie formele taal. Dit is gekoppel aan ’n uitgebreide, geouditeerde databasis waarmee sommige leerders dalk al kennis gemaak het deur die Wolfram Alpha-webwerf.
Vir `n lisensie vir die gebruik van die Mathematica sagteware, kontak narga@sun.ac.za.
[Artikel deur Kristian Muller-Nedebock]
