Game Theory: An Introduction, 2nd Edition

Appendix C: The Essentials of Maple

In this appendix, we will review some of the basic Maple operations used in this book. Maple has a very helpful feature of providing context-sensitive help. That means that if you forget how a command is used, or even what the command is, simply type the word and click on it. Go to the Help menu, and you will see “Help on your word” which will give you the help available for that command.

Throughout this book we have used the worksheet mode of Maple version 10.0. The commands will work in version 10.0 or any later version. In 2012 version 16.04 is current.

C.1 Features

The major features of Maple are listed as follows:

C.1.1 OPERATORS, SIGNS, SYMBOLS, AND COMMANDS

The basic arithmetic operations are +, −, *, /, ⋀ for addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and exponentiation, respectively. Any command must end with a semicolon “;” if you use a colon “:” instead, the statement will be executed but no output will appear. To clear all variables and definitions in a worksheet use restart:.

Parentheses (...) are used for algebraic grouping and arguments of functions just as they are in algebra. You cannot use braces or brackets for that! Braces {...} are used for sets, and brackets [...] for lists.

Multiplication uses an asterisk (e.g., x*y, not xy); exponents by a caret (e.g., x⋀2 = x2).

To make an assignment like a: =3*x+4, use := to assign 3 * x + 2 to the symbol a. The equation a=3*x+4 is made with the equal sign and not colon equal. ...