Computer algebra systems have the potential to revolutionize the teaching of and learning of science. Not only can students work thorough mathematical models much more efficiently and with fewer errors than with pencil and paper, they can also work with much more complex and computationally intensive models. Thus, for example, in studying the flight of a golf ball, students can begin with the simple parabolic trajectory, but then add the effects of lift and drag, of winds, and of spin. Not only can the program provide analytic solutions in some cases, it can also produce numerical solutions and graphic displays. Aimed at undergraduates in their second or third year, this book is filled with examples from a wide variety of disciplines, including biology, economics, medicine, engineering, game theory, physics, chemistry. The text is organized along a spiral, revisiting general topics such as graphics, symbolic computation, and numerical simulation in greater detail and more depth at each turn of the spiral.The heart of the text is a large number of computer algebra recipes. These have been designed not only to provide tools for problem solving, but also to stimulate the reader's imagination. Associated with each recipe is a scientific model or method and a story that leads the reader through steps of the recipe. The recipes are also included on the CD-ROM enclosed with the book. Each section of recipes is followed by a set of problems that readers can use to check their understanding or to develop the topic further.

Nonlinear physics continues to be an area of dynamic modern research, with applications to physics, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, biology, medicine and economics. In this text extensive use is made of the Mathematica computer algebra system. No prior knowledge of Mathematica or programming is assumed. The authors have included a CD-ROM that contains over 130 annotated Mathematica files. These files may be used to solve and explore the text's 400 problems. This book includes 33 experimental activities that are designed to deepen and broaden the reader's understanding of nonlinear physics. These activities are correlated with Part I, the theoretical framework of the text. Additional features: * User-friendly, accessible presentation integrating theory, experiments, and the provided Mathematica notebooks; as the concepts of nonlinear science are developed, readers are gently introduced to Mathematica as an auxiliary tool * CD-ROM includes a wide variety of illustrative nonlinear examples solved with Mathematica--command structures introduced on a need-to-know basis * Notebooks designed to make use of Mathematica's sound capability * Mathematica notebook using the EulerEquation command incorporated into the text This work is an excellent text for undergraduate and graduate students as well as a useful resource for working scientists. Reviewer comments on the Maple edition of NONLINEAR PHYSICS: "An...excellent book...the authors have been able to cover an extraordinary range of topics and hopefully excite a wide audience to investigate nonlinear phenomena...accessible to advanced undergraduates and yet challenging enough for graduate students and workingscientists.... The reader is guided through it all with sound advice and humor.... I hope that many will adopt the text." -American Journal of Physics "Its organization of subject matter, clarity of writing, and smooth integration of analytic and computational techniques put it among the very best...Richard Enns and George McGuire have written an excellent text for introductory nonlinear physics." -Computers in Physics,.".correctly balances a good treatment of nonlinear, but also nonchaotic, behavior of systems with some of the exciting findings about chaotic dynamics...one of the book's strength is the diverse selection of examples from mechanical, chemical, electronic, fluid and many other systems .... Another strength of the book is the diversity of approaches that the student is encouraged to take...the authors have chosen well, and the trio of text, ...software, and lab manual gives the newcomer to nonlinear physics quite an effective set of tools.... Basic ideas are explained clearly and illustrated with many examples." -Physics Today,.". the care that the authors have taken to ensure that their text is as comprehensive, versatile, interactive, and student-friendly as possible place this book far above the average." -Scientific Computing World

Philosophy of the Text This text presents an introductory survey of the basic concepts and applied mathematical methods of nonlinear science as well as an introduction to some simple related nonlinear experimental activities. Students in engineering, phys ics, chemistry, mathematics, computing science, and biology should be able to successfully use this book. In an effort to provide the reader with a cutting edge approach to one of the most dynamic, often subtle, complex, and still rapidly evolving, areas of modern research-nonlinear physics-we have made extensive use of the symbolic, numeric, and plotting capabilities of the Maple software sys tem applied to examples from these disciplines. No prior knowledge of Maple or computer programming is assumed, the reader being gently introduced to Maple as an auxiliary tool as the concepts of nonlinear science are developed. The CD-ROM provided with this book gives a wide variety of illustrative non linear examples solved with Maple. In addition, numerous annotated examples are sprinkled throughout the text and also placed on the CD. An accompanying set of experimental activities keyed to the theory developed in Part I of the book is given in Part II. These activities allow the student the option of "hands on" experience in exploring nonlinear phenomena in the REAL world. Although the experiments are easy to perform, they give rise to experimental and theoretical complexities which are not to be underestimated."

Philosophy of the Text This text presents an introductory survey of the basic concepts and applied mathematical methods of nonlinear science as well as an introduction to some simple related nonlinear experimental activities. Students in engineering, phys ics, chemistry, mathematics, computing science, and biology should be able to successfully use this book. In an effort to provide the reader with a cutting edge approach to one of the most dynamic, often subtle, complex, and still rapidly evolving, areas of modern research-nonlinear physics-we have made extensive use of the symbolic, numeric, and plotting capabilities of the Maple software sys tem applied to examples from these disciplines. No prior knowledge of Maple or computer programming is assumed, the reader being gently introduced to Maple as an auxiliary tool as the concepts of nonlinear science are developed. The CD-ROM provided with this book gives a wide variety of illustrative non linear examples solved with Maple. In addition, numerous annotated examples are sprinkled throughout the text and also placed on the CD. An accompanying set of experimental activities keyed to the theory developed in Part I of the book is given in Part II. These activities allow the student the option of "hands on" experience in exploring nonlinear phenomena in the REAL world. Although the experiments are easy to perform, they give rise to experimental and theoretical complexities which are not to be underestimated.

Nonlinear physics continues to be an area of dynamic modern research, with applications to physics, engineering, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, biology, medicine and economics. In this text extensive use is made of the Mathematica computer algebra system. No prior knowledge of Mathematica or programming is assumed. This book includes 33 experimental activities that are designed to deepen and broaden the reader's understanding of nonlinear physics. These activities are correlated with Part I, the theoretical framework of the text.

Modern computer algebra systems are revolutionizing the teaching and learning of mathematically intensive subjects in science and engineering, enabling students to explore increasingly complex and computationally intensive models that provide analytic solutions, animated numerical solutions, and complex two- and three-dimensional graphic displays. This self-contained text benefits from a spiral structure that regularly revisits the general topics of graphics, symbolic computation, and numerical simulation with increasing intricacy at each turn. The text is built around a large number of computer algebra worksheets or recipes that have been designed using MAPLE to provide tools for problem solving and to stimulate critical thinking. No prior knowledge of MAPLE is assumed. All relevant commands are introduced on a need-to-know basis and are indexed for easy reference. Each recipe is associated with a scientific model or method and an interesting or amusing story designed to both entertain and enhance concept comprehension and retention. All recipes are included on the CD-ROM enclosed with the book. Aimed at third- and fourth-year undergraduates in science and engineering, the text serve as an effective computational science text, with a set of problems following each section of recipes to enable readers to apply and confirm their understanding. The book may also be used as a reference, for self-study, or as the basis of an on-line course.

Computer algebra systems are revolutionizing the teaching, the learning, and the exploration of science. Not only can students and researchers work through mathematical models more efficiently and with fewer errors than with pencil and paper, they can also easily explore, both analytically and numerically, more complex and computationally intensive models.

Aimed at science and engineering undergraduates at the sophomore/junior level, this introductory guide to the mathematical models of science is filled with examples from a wide variety of disciplines, including biology, economics, medicine, engineering, game theory, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. The topics are organized into the Appetizers dealing with graphical aspects, the Entrees concentrating on symbolic computation, and the Desserts illustrating numerical simulation.

The heart of the text is a large number of computer algebra recipes based on the Maple 10 software system. These have been designed not only to provide tools for problem solving, but also to stimulate the readera (TM)s imagination. Associated with each recipe is a scientific model or method and an interesting or amusing story (accompanied with a thought-provoking quote) that leads the reader through the various steps of the recipe. The recipes are also included on the CD-ROM enclosed with the book. Each section of recipes is followed by a set of problems that readers can use to check their understanding or to develop the topic further.

This text is the first of two volumes, the advanced guide, aimed at junior/senior/graduate level students, dealing with more advanced differential equation models.