(Or "symbolic math") The use of computers to manipulate mathematical equations and expressions in symbolic form, as opposed to manipulating the numerical quantities represented by those symbols. Such a system might be used for symbolic integration or differentiation, substitution of one expression into another, simplification of an expression, change of subject etc.

One of the best known symbolic mathematics software packages is Mathematica. Others include ALAM, ALGY, AMP, Ashmedai, AXIOM*, CAMAL, CAYLEY, CCalc, CLAM, CoCoA(?), ESP, FLAP, FORM, FORMAL, Formula ALGOL, GAP, JACAL, LiE, Macaulay, MACSYMA, Magic Paper, MAO, Maple, Mathcad, MATHLAB, MuMath, Nother, ORTHOCARTAN, Pari, REDUCE, SAC-1, SAC2, SAINT, Schoonschip, Scratchpad I, SHEEP, STENSOR, SYMBAL, SymbMath, Symbolic Mathematical Laboratory, TRIGMAN, UBASIC.

Usenet newsgropup: news:sci.math.symbolic.