Mathematical methods using \texttt{Mathematica}. For students of physics and related fields

Publication date 16 September 2003

Published in Undergraduate Texts in Contemporary Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

computer algebra systems physics symbolic computation

Mathematics for nonmathematicians (engineering, social sciences, etc.) (00A06) Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to linear algebra (15-01) Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to real functions (26-01) Introductory exposition (textbooks, tutorial papers, etc.) pertaining to numerical analysis (65-01) Symbolic computation and algebraic computation (68W30)

Review text

Initially this book has been designed as a companion to the undergraduate textbook ``Mathematical methods, New York: Springer (2000; Zbl 0949.00002) by the same author (this book is frequently referred to in the margins, but is not a prerequisite for reading the one under review), and later on developed into a self-contained introduction to the use of computer algebra system (CAS) \texttt{Mathematica} tailored specifically for undergraduate students in physics and related fields. In addition to explanation of various basic commands and exploration of powerful facilities of this CAS, the author included numerous examples from standard undergraduate physics course through which the reader learns essentials of \texttt{Mathematica}. Illustrative examples selected by the author include the study of crystals of dimension one to three, normal modes of a system of \(n\) masses, gravitational fields, the two-body and three-body problems, finite potential well, to mention a few. The book is divided into six chapters. The first chapter introduces the reader to the basic commands used in this CAS, while the second one starts exploration of physical problems through the use of linear algebra apparatus embedded into \texttt{Mathematica}. The following two chapters teach the reader how to use CAS for integration and work with infinite series and finite sums. The last two chapters concentrate on numerical solution of ordinary differential equations, first through theoretical discussion and then by solving several important examples with the help of \texttt{Mathematica}. Each chapter concludes with a small selection of problems for independent study. The book is accompanied with a CD-ROM, compatible with version 3.0 or higher, which contains all the codes used in the text, gives useful explanations and tips at different steps for the solution of a problem. The book is written in a transparent manner and does not require any prior knowledge of physics for mastering computational techniques. Although the book may prove to be useful for any reader interested in learning how to use \texttt{Mathematica}, it shall attract particular attention of students in physics and engineering thanks to a massive array of carefully selected and nicely explained examples from undergraduate physics.

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