Chapter 3 - Maple & Excel Commands Summary

Maple commands

Command

Example

function

solve( eq, var )

solve( a*x-b=0, x )

solve an equation algebraically

:solve( {eqs}, {vars} )

solve({3*x+2y=5,2*x-2*y=3},{x,y})

solve sets of equations for sets of unknowns algebraically

fsolve( eq, var )

fsolve( 3*x-2=0,x)

solve an equation numerically

fsolve( {eqs}, {vars} )

fsolve({3*x+2y=5,2*x-2*y=3},{x,y})

solve sets of equations for sets of unknowns numerically

name[]

soln[2]

array notation

[]

[ [a,b], [c,d] ]

list of quantities

{}

{ sin(theta),cos(theta) }

sets of quantities

assign()

assign( a=2, b=5 )

assignment from equation

Note:

An example of a list is the specification of (x,y) coordinates of points to plot, i.e.,

l := [ [x1,y1], [x2,y2], [x3,y3] ];

where each point is itself a list of 2 coordinates; the syntax to plot such a list of points is

plot( l, x=xmin..xmax );

The use of an "assign" statement to assign the solutions of equations is illustrated by

soln := solve( eqs, vars );
assign( soln[1] );
assign( soln[2] );

Excel Solver

  1. Set a cell for x and a cell for f(x)
  2. Select the cell containing f(x)
  3. Call the solver
  4. Specify the RHS and independent cell ( the "x" cell )
  5. Solve the equation
  6. Select the reports needed
   Exercises Chapter 3 TOC

Any questions or suggestions should be directed to
Michel Vallières at vallieres@physics.drexel.edu