Wolfram alpha -- worth it for a beginner to get a wolfram alpha pro acct?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the value of obtaining a Wolfram Alpha Pro account for beginners in mathematics, particularly at a Grade 12 level. Participants explore the usefulness of the tool compared to free resources and other software options for learning and applying mathematical concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether a Wolfram Alpha Pro account is beneficial for a beginner, suggesting that the free tools are already sufficient.
  • Another participant recommends investing in a math book instead of a Pro account, citing concerns about value for money.
  • Some participants mention alternative software like Freemat, Octave, and Pyzo for numerical math exploration, emphasizing their utility in programming and numerical integration.
  • A participant reflects on their experience with Mathematica and Maple during their undergraduate studies, advocating for these tools as valuable for learning and checking homework answers.
  • There is a suggestion that advanced features of Wolfram Alpha might be overwhelming for someone at a Grade 12 level, but could also facilitate deeper understanding.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the value of a Wolfram Alpha Pro account, with some advocating for alternative resources and others supporting the use of advanced tools. No consensus is reached regarding the necessity or effectiveness of the Pro account for beginners.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various tools and resources without resolving the effectiveness or appropriateness of each for different learning levels. The discussion includes personal experiences and subjective evaluations of software.

Who May Find This Useful

Beginners in mathematics, educators seeking resources for students, and individuals interested in exploring mathematical software options.

julianwitkowski
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Is it worth it for a beginner to get a wolfram alpha pro acct?

I'm interested in learning math and I find the free tools great.

I'm curious as to how people that know how to do math think of wolfram. Do you think having the extended features would be too much for someone at a gr 12 u level? ... Or do you think that looking at this stuff will help me make connections I might not otherwise?

Thanks!
 
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I don't know how much bang for the buck you'll get but I think you'd be better spending your money on an interesting math book.

As far as tools go, there's freemat, octave and pyzo that will allow you explore numerical math. They don't teach but they allow you to write a program to numerically integrate equations and to display the results in a variety of formats.

The mathispower4u website have many videos some for first year college math
that you might like to peruse. (see http://www.mathispower4u.yolasite.com)
 
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julianwitkowski said:
Is it worth it for a beginner to get a wolfram alpha pro acct?

I'm interested in learning math and I find the free tools great.

I'm curious as to how people that know how to do math think of wolfram. Do you think having the extended features would be too much for someone at a gr 12 u level? ... Or do you think that looking at this stuff will help me make connections I might not otherwise?

Thanks!

Not sure about the version but I remember when I was doing my undergrad I was using Mathematicas student version which was very cheap compared to the pro version. We actually used Maple in Uni but I strongly recommend getting this softwares as you can learn from them and use them for anything even research. These tools are great to check your answers for home work as well as projects. The Mathematica and Maple have full documentations build in them as you don't need any extra books to learn using them. If you planning to do Science or Engineering in the future I strongly recommend these softwares and they also fun to use.
 
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Thanks I'll check those tools. Thanks for your reply.
 

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