A Physicist's Guide to Mathematica, 2nd Edition

Preface to the First Edition

Traditionally, the upper-division theoretical physics courses teach the formalisms of the theories, the analytical technique of problem-solving, and the physical interpretation of the mathematical solutions. Problems of historical significance, pedagogical value, or if possible, recent research interest are chosen as examples. The analytical methods consist mainly of working with models, making approximations, and considering special or limiting cases. The student must master the analytical skills, because they can be used to solve many problems in physics and, even in cases where solutions cannot be found, can be used to extract a great deal of information about the problems. As the computer has become readily available, ...