Drexel dragonThe Math ForumDonate to the Math Forum  Search All
of the Math Forum:   Math Forum » Discussions » Software »
comp.soft-sys.math.mathematica  Topic: Mathematica and trivial
math problems that school children can solve. Replies: 1   Last
Post: Feb 17, 2013 4:09 AM  Advanced Search  David Park  Posts:
1,551 Registered: 5/19/07 Posted: Feb 17, 2013 4:09 AM  For me,
there are two questions raised by this: 1) Why do people use a
pile-driver when they could use a scalpel? 2) Are simple
calculations beneath Mathematica, or beneath students or even
professors? Should they be done "in the head" or on a scrap of
paper but not in Mathematica?  My answer to the first question
is because they think of Mathematica as a super calculator and
they are just looking for the right button to push. Solve or
Reduce seems like a reasonable choice. They don't think of
Mathematica as a "piece of paper" on which they can doodle and
explore.  My answer to the second question is: calculate
everything you can, or that is appr