TABLE OF CONTENTS In this chapter we introduce a language that is used throughout the book to describe the concepts, examples, and algorithms of computer algebra. The language is called mathematical pseudo-language or simply MPL. In Sections 2.1 and 2.2 we describe the form of an MPL mathematical expression and discuss what happens to an expression during the evaluation process. In Section 2.3 we consider elementary MPL programs and give a case study that illustrates the concept. Finally, in Section 2.4 we describe MPL lists and sets, which are two ways to represent collections of mathematical expressions.
Mathematical pseudo-language (MPL) is a symbolic language that is used in this book to describe the concepts, examples, and algorithms of computer algebra. The term pseudo-language is used to emphasize that MPL is not a real CAS language that has been implemented on a computer. Although MPL is similar in spirit to real computer algebra languages, it is less formal and utilizes both mathematical symbolism and ordinary English when appropriate. The reader should have little difficulty following discussions in MPL.
The reader may wonder, why introduce another algorithmic language? Why not use the programming language associated with a particular CAS? One reason has to do with the current state of language and system development in the computer algebra field. There is now a proliferation of computer algebra systems, and, undoubtedly, there will be new ones in the future. Each system has its strong points and limitations, and its...
