{"id":3995,"date":"2012-11-09T09:00:59","date_gmt":"2012-11-09T14:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/?p=3995"},"modified":"2016-05-17T21:13:19","modified_gmt":"2016-05-18T01:13:19","slug":"mathexplorer-learn-about-math-interactively-with-mupad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/2012\/11\/09\/mathexplorer-learn-about-math-interactively-with-mupad\/","title":{"rendered":"MathExplorer: Learn about math interactively with MuPAD!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"content\">\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/authors\/15007\">Jiro<\/a>'s pick this week is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/38833-mathexplorer--learning-maths-using-mupad-for-engineering-students\">MathExplorer<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/authors\/290455\">Martin Brown<\/a>.\r\n\r\nSince MATLAB is, first and foremost, a numerical computation package, we haven't picked too many entries that use symbolic\r\ncapabilities. Well, here it is, and it's quite impressive! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/products\/symbolic\/\">Symbolic Math Toolbox\u2122<\/a> extends MATLAB by providing functions for solving and manipulating symbolic expressions. In R2007b, we introduced a notebook\r\ninterface called the MuPAD Notebook App. It provides an interactive environment for performing symbolic calculations and creating a dynamic document.\r\n\r\nMathExplorer is a set of hyperlinked MuPAD notebooks (43 total) for teaching mathematical concepts that are typically taught\r\nin the first and second year of college. With his notebooks, the students can learn the concepts interactively by running\r\ndynamic examples and experimenting with different parameters.\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/images\/pick\/jiro\/potw_mathexplorer\/mathexplorer_mupad_screenshot.png\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"5\" \/>\r\n\r\nThe concepts that are covered are:\r\n<div>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Vectors<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Complex Numbers<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Differentiation<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Integration<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Taylor Series<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Multivariable Calculus<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Ordinary Differential Equations<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Laplace Transform<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Vector Calculus<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Linear Algebra<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIt also contains a few application examples for some of the topics. Many of his notebooks contain <a href=\"\">animated graphs<\/a> to better convey the concepts. For example, you can learn about the concept of differentiation:\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/images\/pick\/jiro\/potw_mathexplorer\/mathexplorer_differentiation_animation.gif\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"5\" \/>\r\n\r\nOr see how first and second order systems respond to a step input:\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/images\/pick\/jiro\/potw_mathexplorer\/mathexplorer_ode_animation.gif\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"5\" \/>\r\n\r\nOr visualize a 3D vector field:\r\n\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/images\/pick\/jiro\/potw_mathexplorer\/mathexplorer_vectorfield_animation.gif\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" vspace=\"5\" \/>\r\n\r\n<b>Comments<\/b>\r\n\r\nStudents out there, learn about mathematical concepts in a fun, interactive way using MathExplorer! If you're a professor,\r\ngive this a try in your courses! Let us know what you think <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/?p=3995#respond\">here<\/a> or leave a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/38833-mathexplorer--learning-maths-using-mupad-for-engineering-students#comments\">comment<\/a> for Martin.\r\n\r\n<script>\/\/ <![CDATA[\r\nfunction grabCode_ecb02c902080445cad15f83376fae098() {\r\n        \/\/ Remember the title so we can use it in the new page\r\n        title = document.title;\r\n\r\n        \/\/ Break up these strings so that their presence\r\n        \/\/ in the Javascript doesn't mess up the search for\r\n        \/\/ the MATLAB code.\r\n        t1='ecb02c902080445cad15f83376fae098 ' + '##### ' + 'SOURCE BEGIN' + ' #####';\r\n        t2='##### ' + 'SOURCE END' + ' #####' + ' ecb02c902080445cad15f83376fae098';\r\n    \r\n        b=document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];\r\n        i1=b.innerHTML.indexOf(t1)+t1.length;\r\n        i2=b.innerHTML.indexOf(t2);\r\n \r\n        code_string = b.innerHTML.substring(i1, i2);\r\n        code_string = code_string.replace(\/REPLACE_WITH_DASH_DASH\/g,'--');\r\n\r\n        \/\/ Use \/x3C\/g instead of the less-than character to avoid errors \r\n        \/\/ in the XML parser.\r\n        \/\/ Use '\\x26#60;' instead of '<' so that the XML parser\r\n        \/\/ doesn't go ahead and substitute the less-than character. \r\n        code_string = code_string.replace(\/\\x3C\/g, '\\x26#60;');\r\n\r\n        author = 'Jiro Doke';\r\n        copyright = 'Copyright 2012 The MathWorks, Inc.';\r\n\r\n        w = window.open();\r\n        d = w.document;\r\n        d.write('\r\n\r\n<pre>\\n');\r\n        d.write(code_string);\r\n\r\n        \/\/ Add author and copyright lines at the bottom if specified.\r\n        if ((author.length > 0) || (copyright.length > 0)) {\r\n            d.writeln('');\r\n            d.writeln('%%');\r\n            if (author.length > 0) {\r\n                d.writeln('% _' + author + '_');\r\n            }\r\n            if (copyright.length > 0) {\r\n                d.writeln('% _' + copyright + '_');\r\n            }\r\n        }\r\n\r\n        d.write('<\/pre>\r\n\r\n\r\n\\n');\r\n      \r\n      d.title = title + ' (MATLAB code)';\r\n      d.close();\r\n      }\r\n\/\/ ]]><\/script>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: right; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: lighter; font-style: italic; color: gray;\">\r\n<a><span style=\"font-size: x-small; font-style: italic;\">Get\r\nthe MATLAB code\r\n<noscript>(requires JavaScript)<\/noscript><\/span><\/a>\r\n\r\nPublished with MATLAB\u00ae R2012b<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<!--\r\necb02c902080445cad15f83376fae098 ##### SOURCE BEGIN #####\r\n%%\r\n% <https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/authors\/15007 % Jiro>'s pick this week is\r\n% <https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/38833-mathexplorer--learning-maths-using-mupad-for-engineering-students MathExplorer>\r\n% by <https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/authors\/290455 % Martin Brown>.\r\n%\r\n% Since MATLAB is, first and foremost, a numerical computation package, we\r\n% haven't picked too many entries that use symbolic capabilities. Well,\r\n% here it is, and it's quite impressive!\r\n% <https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/products\/symbolic\/ Symbolic Math Toolbox\u00e2\u201e\u00a2>\r\n% extends MATLAB by providing functions for solving and manipulating\r\n% symbolic expressions. In R2007b, we introduced a notebook interface\r\n% called the <https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/products\/symbolic\/description5.html % MuPAD Notebook App>. It provides an interactive environment for\r\n% performing symbolic calculations and creating a dynamic document.\r\n%\r\n% MathExplorer is a set of hyperlinked MuPAD notebooks (43 total) for\r\n% teaching mathematical concepts that are typically taught in the first and\r\n% second year of college. With his notebooks, the students can learn the\r\n% concepts interactively by running dynamic examples and experimenting with\r\n% different parameters.\r\n%\r\n% <<mathexplorer_mupad_screenshot.png>>\r\n%\r\n% The concepts that are covered are:\r\n%\r\n% * Vectors\r\n% * Complex Numbers\r\n% * Differentiation\r\n% * Integration\r\n% * Taylor Series\r\n% * Multivariable Calculus\r\n% * Ordinary Differential Equations\r\n% * Laplace Transform\r\n% * Vector Calculus\r\n% * Linear Algebra\r\n%\r\n% It also contains a few application examples for some of the topics. Many\r\n% of his notebooks contain\r\n% < animated % graphs> to better convey the concepts. For example, you can learn about\r\n% the concept of differentiation:\r\n%\r\n% <<mathexplorer_differentiation_animation.gif>>\r\n%\r\n% Or see how first and second order systems respond to a step input:\r\n%\r\n% <<mathexplorer_ode_animation.gif>>\r\n%\r\n% Or visualize a 3D vector field:\r\n%\r\n% <<mathexplorer_vectorfield_animation.gif>>\r\n%\r\n% *Comments*\r\n%\r\n% Students out there, learn about mathematical concepts in a fun,\r\n% interactive way using MathExplorer! If you're a professor, give this a\r\n% try in your courses! Let us know what you think\r\n% <https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/?p=3995#respond here> or leave a\r\n% <https:\/\/www.mathworks.com\/matlabcentral\/fileexchange\/38833-mathexplorer--learning-maths-using-mupad-for-engineering-students#comments % comment> for Martin.\r\n\r\n##### SOURCE END ##### ecb02c902080445cad15f83376fae098\r\n-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\r\n\r\nJiro's pick this week is MathExplorer by Martin Brown.\r\n\r\nSince MATLAB is, first and foremost, a numerical computation package, we haven't picked too many entries that use symbolic\r\ncapabilities.... <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/2012\/11\/09\/mathexplorer-learn-about-math-interactively-with-mupad\/\">read more >><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3995"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3995"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7266,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3995\/revisions\/7266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.mathworks.com\/pick\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}