Computer Algebra System facts for kids

A computer algebra system (CAS) is a special computer program that helps people with mathematics and algebra. It can change and work with math problems that have numbers and symbols called variables. Variables are like placeholders for numbers, whether you know them or not. A CAS always keeps the math problem exactly the same, unless it's transforming it using a special method.

You can use a CAS for many things. It can help solve tricky math problems like integration or differentiation. It can also make math problems simpler or help find the biggest or smallest possible answers. Most CAS programs can even draw graphs of math problems, which is super helpful for seeing what the math looks like!

What a CAS Can Do with Symbols

Computer algebra systems can be simple, focusing on just a few types of math. Or they can be very big programs that do almost everything. For example, Maxima is a free CAS that has been around for a long time and is still being improved.

A good CAS often gives answers that are perfect, simple, and work for all possible situations. But remember, computer programs can have mistakes. So, it's always a good idea to double-check important results to make sure they are correct.

What a CAS Can Do with Numbers

Modern computer algebra systems often have strong number-crunching abilities. These work well with their symbol-handling skills.

They can work with many kinds of numbers. This includes real numbers, complex numbers, interval numbers, and fractions.

You can usually use decimal numbers if you want. Computers can do calculations with decimals very quickly. The downside is that decimal calculations are not always perfectly exact. This can be a problem for very precise work, like rocket science. Small rounding-off errors can add up with each calculation.

Calculations with fractions are always exact if all numbers are fractions. Interval arithmetic can help you easily figure out the total possible error in a calculation. Complex numbers are also usually supported. This means you can use imaginary numbers (like i) in your math problems.

Images for kids

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  A Texas Instruments TI-Nspire calculator that contains a computer algebra system

See also

In Spanish: Sistema algebraico computacional para niños