Maths - Solving Equations

An equation may be true or false.

For example,

1+1=2

is true but,

1+1=3

is false.

Sometimes an equation may be invalid, for instance:

2 apples = 3 oranges

Because apples and oranges are different things and cant be compared (although we could compare the price or the weight of apples and oranges).

Normaly we will be assuming some equations are true and then apply a set of rules to find the value of an unknown or prove a relationship.

Open Source Algebra Programs

There are a number of open source programs which can solve these algebra problems. I have tried a program called 'Axiom'.

spinor

This page explains how to install and run this.

Problem Solving

If a problem is difficult, don't panic, try these ideas:

Find a similar problem. Can you apply to your own problem?
Simplify the issue by removing some variables or dimensions.
When one approach fails, try the opposite.
Dream: fantasies about a situation such as assuming that all restrictions have been removed.
Establish sub-goals: break the problem into a number of smaller ones.
List the assumptions you have made about solving the problem and challenge them.
Try working through the situation from the way things are to the way you want them to be.
Choose other words to describe the problem. An alternative definition can yield new possibilities.

There are more ideas on This page.

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see also:

Correspondence about this page

Book Shop - Further reading.

Where I can, I have put links to Amazon for books that are relevant to the subject, click on the appropriate country flag to get more details of the book or to buy it from them.

The MathML Handbook - for people interested in working with mathematics on the web.

Other Math Books

Commercial Software Shop

Where I can, I have put links to Amazon for commercial software, not directly related to the software project, but related to the subject being discussed, click on the appropriate country flag to get more details of the software or to buy it from them.

Mathmatica

Can you help?

Please send me any improvements to here. I would appreciate ideas to make the pages more useful including error correction, ideas for new pages, improvements to wording. It helps if you quote the full URL of the page.

Terminology and Notation

Specific to this page here:

program

I am working on a project which uses these principles, if you would like to help me with this you are welcome to join in, here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mjbworld/

This site may have errors. Don't use for critical systems.