Stimulating the Learning Process in Mathematics and Numerics by Use of Computer Programs Like Mathematica

Abstract

Stimulating the learning process in mathematics and numerics by use of computer programs like Mathematica.Abstract –The development of fast, powerful laptop computers during the last twentyyears has greatly facilitated solving complex problems in a variety of scientific researchareas. The benefits of using such devices give the teachers and educators the possibilityto impact their research results in their daily work among students at campus. In mysituation, teaching engineering students mathematics and physics at Oslo UniversityCollege, I have had great advantage of using Mathematica, the excellent working tooldeveloped by Steven Wolfram and his collegues at Wolfram Research, Champaign,Illinois. This program has renewed in several releases since late eighties, and the lastversion so far is version 10. My experience started with version 2 in 1990, and since thenI have been using the program extensively in lecturing and research. In this paper I will tell about my experiences with this programming tool, showexamples from teaching and research, and comment the feedback from students indifferent study programs. In addition to giving short courses in introducing theprogram the students have used it in first level calculus courses, linear algebra, complexanalysis, Laplace transformations, power series , Fourier series and solving ordinaryand partial differentiation equations. I have also tried to motivate the student withprogramming examples in courses in hydrodynamics and indoor environment problemsfor the environmental engineering program and reaction kinetics in the chemistryprogram. Illustrating animations are easily obtained to model oscillations and vibrationsin demonstrations in the construction engineering and electrical engineering programs.This year I distribute programming examples in numerical analysis.