Software to use for calculus and physics

Alex

I've just started university and want to type up my notes in my new netbook. Problem is, I've got no idea which software I should use for my formula-rich classes (math, chem, phys). Does anybody know where I can download (or buy, if no free software's available) anything that lets me easily insert subscripts, superscripts, Greek letters, roots, exponents, fractions, and etc, into a text document? I know that subscripts and superscripts are available in Word, but they're a real pain to use (insert > symbol each time).

Thanks for your input guys.

SithDrummer

This is the one I use, but I got it on the cheap basically through offering to help a guy make math workbook problems and having him pay for it. If money is no object, this is a great tool.


However, I also found this, which states that there is a math editor that comes on the Microsoft Office CD but is not installed by default. You could look into this option, since it is apparently much, much cheaper.

Fantasma

I have heard of a software called Mathematica:
http://www.wolfram.com/products/student/mathforstudents/index.html

There is also Maxima http://maxima.sourceforge.net/, REDUCE http://www.reduce-algebra.com/

I am not sure if they will do what you want though.

Ganluan

In my classes both the students and professors used LaTeX:

http://www.latex-project.org/

Tinuz

Ganluan wrote: »

In my classes both the students and professors used LaTeX:

http://www.latex-project.org/

This! The learning curve may seem steep, but it will become like second nature rather quickly.

Starcross

There's a good chance you'll get taught to use LaTeX later as part of a course. It's very widely used.

Tinuz

Starcross wrote: »

There's a good chance you'll get taught to use LaTeX later as part of a course. It's very widely used.

If not, learn it yourself anyway. Engineers who can't do LaTeX aren't taken seriously.

Jebus314

Fantasma wrote: »

I have heard of a software called Mathematica:
http://www.wolfram.com/products/student/mathforstudents/index.html

There is also Maxima http://maxima.sourceforge.net/, REDUCE http://www.reduce-algebra.com/

I am not sure if they will do what you want though.

Mathematica is not some software to advertise as I've heard of this, somewhere, maybe it's good. Mathematica is pretty much the overlord of mathematical solving software. I heard that Wolfram found a new turing machine for the kernel of mathematica. Also this could become very insanely awesome. That being said I'm fairly certain that mathematica is not free, and its not really a note taking software. It's meant for solving long, difficult problems.

Jebus314

Tinuz wrote: »

Starcross wrote: »

There's a good chance you'll get taught to use LaTeX later as part of a course. It's very widely used.

If not, learn it yourself anyway. Engineers who can't do LaTeX aren't taken seriously.

I am just trying to learn LateX myself, so maybe I am completely wrong here, but as I understand it LateX is not actually used for writing anything. It compiles files that were written in another editor (like notepad, or VIM, or Emacs). Basically converting code into certain formating. Do let me know if I am completely wrong here as I would like to know as well.

shadydentist

Well, thats true to a certain extent, but LateX is useful for formatting things, especially equations.

Though to be perfectly honest, you're better off using a old-fashioned spiral-bound notebook for your math/physics classes.