FAQ : Using Mathematica

SetDirectory[ParentDirectory[NotebookDirectory[]]];
Needs["SSSiCv100`"];

Introduction

1. Download the appropriate installation file here: http://go.southern.edu/mathematica

During installation or the first time you run Mathematica, select:

• Other ways to activate

• Activate through a Wolfram network license server

Then input:    Server name   mathematica.southern.edu

Note:  Our license allows Mathematica to be installed on any computer owned by Southern or by any student, faculty/staff member.  Once you have input our license server address the first time, you should be able to just hit <Enter> to (occasionally) reconnect.  Usually reconnection is automatic. Please let me know if you have any difficulties. In fact, let me know if you are successful, too.  <grin!>

2. (Alternative method) If you don’t have enough disk space for Mathematica, you may use a Wolfram Cloud account to run Mathematica in the Cloud from a memory-poor or storage-space-poor device:

• Go to  https://www.wolframcloud.com/, and/or or get the app:  https://www.wolfram.com/cloud-app/

• Log in with your southern.edu email address.

• At least ONE TIME, go to https://user.wolfram.com/, log in using your southern.edu email address, and complete the registration form, indicating student status and expected graduation date. Submit the form.

• When you go back to Wolfram Cloud, after perhaps a short delay, you should see that "Plan: BASIC" in the middle of the top menu bar has changed to "Plan: Southern Adventist University". This allows you to drag and drop files from your computer to/from your Wolfram Cloud folders.

Note that this will be much slower than having a local installation.  We only have 25 licenses, so students using iPads in classes where Mathematica is used will have priority.

3. Here is a series of tutorials gives the basics of using many different features of Mathematica:

https://www.wolfram.com/broadcast/screencasts/handsonstart/

4. A few ideas for getting started:

After "=", type in English what you want to do. Learn from Mathematica how to use Mathematica!

Use <Shift>-<Enter> to execute commands.

Click any word and hit <F1> to get specific help on that topic, format of commands, live examples.

Common tasks:  graphing (Plot, Plot3D, ContourPlot), solving equations & systems of equations (Solve), taking the derivative or integral (D, Integrate).

Grid[{
{"Ex/", "Plot[x * Cos[x],{x,-38,38}]"}, 
{"", "Plot3D[x * y * Cos[x] * Cos[y], {x, -10, 10}, {y, -10, 10}]"},
{"", "Solve[{2x + 3y == 5, (x^2) - (y^2) == 8}]"},
{"", "Solve[(ax^2) + bx + c == 0,x]"},
{"", "D[(xE^(x^2)), x]"},
{"", "Integrate[%,x]"}},
Alignment->Left, Frame->All, Spacings->{1, 1}, BaseStyle->{Medium, FontFamily->"Times"}]

Two common SSS-related commands (needs the latest SSS program loaded):

1. SSS[ruleset, initial state, number of steps, options].  Ex/  	SSS[{"AA"→"B","BA"→"AB",""→"A"},"AAAAA",50]

(a couple of common options:  NetSize→200,HighlightMethod→Dot)

2. FromReducedRankIndex[n]   (gives the n-th SSS ruleset)

Ex/ The first ruleset in the reduced enumeration:

ln[152]:=FromReducedRankIndex[1]

Out[152]={“” -> “A”}

Ex/ The first 1000 rulesets:

FromReducedRankIndex/@Range[1,1000]

FAQ Sessie Intro, 2025.2.12, Kenneth Caviness and Colton Edelbach