Wolfram Alpha

Week 1 Recitation
WolframAlpha.com

Connor Makowski

ctl.mit.edu
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Using Wolfram Alpha

• Wolfram Alpha is a highly intuitive software

that accepts a wide variety of syntax
• Example
Note: This is the only
 x^2+2x-1 form that edX will accept
in formula based
 x**2+2x-1 equations.
 x^2+2*x-1

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What do you want to know about?

• Example
 x^2+2x-1

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Graphing

• Syntax
 Graph
 Plot
• Examples
 Plot 4x+1
 Graph x^2+2x-3

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Roots

• Syntax
 Roots
 0=
• Examples
 Roots x^2+2x-9
 0 = x^3-x^2-x
• Approximate form can help
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Solving Equations

• Syntax
 Solve (enter equation) for (variable)
 Optional: No syntax needed
• Examples
 Solve 3=4x-5 for x
 3=4x-5
• Approximate form can help
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Solving a System of Equations

• Syntax
 (Equation 1), (Equation 2), ...
• Examples
 x+y=3, x-y=1
 x+y+z=4, x-y+z=7, x+y-z=15
• Don’t forget about approximate form

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Derivatives

• Syntax • Examples
 Derive  Derive x^2+2x-9
 For (variable)  Derive x^2 for x
 Derivative  d/dx x^2+3x-2
 Differentiate
 d/d(variable)

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Second Derivative

• Syntax
 Second Derivative
 Double Derivative
 Differentiate Differentiate (Equation) for (x) for (x)
 Derivative Derivative (Equation) for (x) for (x)
 d^2/dx^2

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Second Derivative

• Examples
 Second Derivative x^4-2x^3+4
 Differentiate Differentiate x^8+48x^2 for x for x
 d^2/dx^2 72x^13+14x^8-x^2

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Partial Derivatives

• Syntax
 Derive (Equation) for (Specify variable)
 Derivative (Equation) for (Specify variable)
 Differentiate (Equation) for (Specify variable)
 d/d(specify variable) (Equation)

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Partial Derivatives

• Examples
 Derive xy^2 for y
 Derivative wxz^3+z^2 for z
 d/dy xy^3+3x^2*y^4

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Partial Derivatives Continued

• Syntax
 Derivative Derivative (equation) for (x) for (y)
 Differentiate
 Derive
 d^2/d(x)d(y) (Equation)

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Partial Derivatives Continued

• Examples
 Derivative Derivative x^2*y^2 for (x) for (y)
 d^2/d(x)d(y) x^5*y^5+x^2*y

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Optimization

• Syntax
 Maximization
 Maximize (Equation)
 Max (Equation)
 Minimization
 Minimize (Equation)
 Min (Equation)

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Optimization

• Examples
 Maximization
 Maximize -4x^2-3x+4
 Minimization
 Minimize 6x^2+4x-5

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Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
Use the Discussion!

“Margaret – Sad that the Wolfram recitation is over ”

conmak@mit.edu
ctl.mit.edu
Sources and Image Information
• https://www.wolframalpha.com/

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