To evaluate integrals, derivatives, matrix operations (including most
matrix functions), summations and products
symbolically, type an expression using Mathcad operators and either:
Press [Ctrl] [.] to insert the symbolic equal sign to the right of the expression.
Some built-in functions retain their
usual meanings in symbolic calculations, but many do not have any reasonable
meaning in the symbolic context and are therefore not evaluated. A few of these
functions have different meanings or restrictions under symbolic evaluation:
Unlike the numerical mod
function, the symbolic mod function requires an integer modulus, and can accept
a polynomial as its first argument.
The eigenvals function works
symbolically for complex as well as real matrices.
Notes:
Another method is to select the expression and select Evaluate > Symbolically from the Symbolics menu.
For definite integrals, the symbolic processor
finds an indefinite integral and subtracts its value at the lower limit
of integration from its value at the upper limit. The solution to an indefinite
integral is not unique. If f(x) is an integral
of a given function, so is f(x) + C for a constant
C.
To take derivatives or integrals, you can either
use the Mathcad operators or choose from the Variable option on
the Symbolics menu. The expression should not include an integral
operator if you are integrating, unless you want to take a double integral.
Many transformations do not apply to the matrix as
a whole. For example, to simplify the expressions in a matrix you must
simplify each element. To perform
typical matrix manipulations, you can either use the Mathcad operators
for transposition, inversion, or determinant, or you can choose from the
Matrix option on the Symbolics menu.