Programming language for mathematicians

AI Thread Summary
For novice mathematicians interested in mathematical modeling, programming languages such as Python and R are highly recommended due to their versatility and strong community support. Python, in particular, offers libraries like NumPy and SciPy that facilitate numerical computations, while R excels in statistical analysis. Many mathematicians and theoretical physicists tend to rely on specialized software like Mathematica, Maple, and Matlab for their work, as these programs provide extensive built-in functionalities for both analytical and numerical tasks. While some mathematicians do learn programming languages, the reliance on these established tools is common, as they simplify complex problem-solving and modeling processes.
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What is a good programming language to learn for novice mathematicians, especially those who might want to eventually do mathematical modeling of problems? Also, do most mathematicians actually learn a programming language, or do they usually rely on programs like Matlab?
 
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Most people I know of (theoretical physicists and mathematicians) use either Mathematica (analytical/numerical), Maple (more often for analytical things) and/or Matlab (more often numerical). Tons of things there have been programmed for you, and if you want to write a new program you can do this in the own language of the program, which is very straightforward. So I would say people usually rely on programs like the ones mentioned.
 

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