Syntax the Java Math Engine Understands

This document is part of a suite of applets developed by Dr. Philippe B. Laval, at Kennesaw State University. These applets were originally developed to use in the Earth Math project.

The Java Math Engine is a lexer/parser which understands a mathematical language designed to be as close as possible to the language mathematicians use. The building blocks of this language are numbers, variables, built-in functions and operations. With these building blocks, the user can do mathematics by:

1. Defining new expressions
2. Defining functions
3. Evaluating expressions/functions
4. Differentiating and integrating (symbolically) expressions/functions

This document is not intended to be a help document for any specific applet, as each applet comes with its own specific instructions. It is designed to provides help on the syntax the Java Math Engine Understands. As such, it applies to every applet which uses the Java Math Engine. This is the case of every applet in which a function has to be entered. It is also the case of many applets in which a value has to be entered. Very often that value can either be a number, or an expression resulting in a number. In the graphing applet, the intervals can be specified as multiples of pi. When an applet uses the syntax of the Java math Engine, it will be specified in the help section provided with this applet.

This document provides help on how to specify a mathematical expression the Java Math Engine can understand. A mathematical expression is a combination of operations, variables and functions. Specific help is provided for each of these components.

To use this help document, simply use the menu on the left to select a specific topic. Here is a brief description of each menu item:

• Introduction
  Will bring this screen when pressed.
• Operations
  Lists and explain the operations the Java Math Engine understands.
• Variables
  Explains how to name, define and use variables the Java Math Engine can understand.
• Expressions
  Explains what a mathematical expression is and what can be done with one.
• Functions
  Explains how to name, define and use functions the Java Math Engine can understand. There are two kinds of functions. Functions which are built into the system, as well as user defined functions.
• Differentiation
  Describes the symbolic differentiation engine.
• Integration
  Describes the symbolic integration engine.
  

This project was funded in part by:
The National Science Foundation # DUE-9952568
The US Department of Education FIPSE #P116B001780