pyMaxima

CAS in Python using Maxima & PyGeo

• pyMaxima is a simple to use GUI for Maxima, written in Python
  
  
• "Maxima is a system for the manipulation of symbolic and numerical expressions, including differentiation, integration, Taylor series, Laplace transforms, ordinary differential equations, systems of linear equations, polynomials, and sets, lists, vectors, matrices, and tensors." (from http://maxima.sourceforge.net/)
  The Maxima computer algebra system was started by William Schelter, the late maintainer of Maxima.
  
  
• Try also wxMaxima: wxMaxima "is a cross platform GUI for the computer algebra system maxima based on wxWidgets." (from http://wxmaxima.sourceforge.net/)
  
  
• "PyGeo is a framework for the creation of dynamic geometric constructions" (from http://pygeo.sourceforge.net/).
  PyGeo's creator was Arthur Siegel
  
  

About . . .

• Screenshot
  
  
• Features
  
  
• Example session
  
  
• pyMaxima license (GPL)
  
  

Download

• pyMaxima.zip (Windows: zipped, version 1.70, 2012-11-17, 340 KB)
  
  
• pyMaxima.tar.gz (Linux: tared & gzipped, version 1.70, 2012-11-17, 320 KB)
  
  

pyMaxima is tested under Linux, Windows XP and Windows 7.

PyGeo

pyMaxima uses pyGeo for the 3D-representation of the geometry objects as lines, planes or spheres: pyGeo-example.
Note: pyGeo is using additional resources:

• VPython
  
  
• Numerical Python (Numerical Python is bundled with VPython)
  
  
• Note: The installation of PyGeo is limited up to Python 2.7
  You have to install the following package, if you are using Python 2.5 to 2.7:
  • PyGeo.tar.gz or
  • PyGeo.zip
  Many Thanks to the blogger for the update of PyGeo!
  
  

pyMaxima will work without pyGeo, but you won't see those funny litte pictures :-)

Installation

• First of all: you'll need Maxima, pyMaxima works fine with Maxima version 5.10.0 to 5.28
  Note: without Maxima, pyMaxima won't work!
  
  
• Python (vers. 2.4 to 2.7) including Tkinter might be useful.
  
  
• On win32 (Win 2000, Win XP), pyMaxima requires the Python for Windows Extensions
  
  
• If you like the 3D-pygeo drawings, you must install VPython and pygeo (Numerical Python is bundled with VPython)
  Note: The installation of PyGeo is limited up to Python 2.7
  You have to install the following package, if you are using Python 2.5 to 2.7:
  • PyGeo.tar.gz or
  • PyGeo.zip
  
  
  
• Unzip pyMaxima.zip (Windows) or pyMaxima.tar.gz (Linux) in a subdirectory
  
  
• On Linux: fix the entries in the configuration file linuxInit.conf, note that the file interface.lisp is in the same directory as pyMaxima.py.
  Call python pyMaxima.py in the shell.
  
  
• On win32: fix the entries in the configuration file winInit.conf, note that the file interface.lisp is in the same directory as pyMaxima.py.
  Click on pyMaxima.py and don't close the black window in the back!
  
  

Maxima-Documentation

• Maxima-Documentation
  
  
• Wiki (Maxima-Documentation, german)
  
  

Note

"Be warned that these systems are no substitute for hands on work with equations and struggling with concepts. These systems do not build your mathematical intuition, nor will they strengthen your core skills."
And: "Do not use a computer as a substitute for your basic education."
From The Maxima Book, p. 7

Credits

Many Thanks to

• The folks, who are maintaining Maxima!
  
  
• Andrej Vodopivec for wxMaxima, it's great!
  
  
• James Amundson for his interface-example.lisp
  
  
• Jarno Elonen for his Gauss-Jordan-Elimination
  
  
• Josiah Carlson for his Module to allow Asynchronous subprocess use on Windows and Posix platforms (Python Recipe 440554 from the Python Cookbook).
  
  
• Wolfgang Urban for his statistical distributions
  
  
• Greg McFarlane and Peter Munnings for the Python megawidgets
  
  
• Arthur Siegel for PyGeo
  
  
• The unknown japanese blogger for the update of PyGeo
  
  
• Daniele C. and many more for Wiki on a Stick
  
  
• Guido van Rossum for Python