computer science

MUMPS (software)

MUMPS (software) is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand MUMPS (software) rather than just read about it. In short: MUMPS (MUltifrontal Massively Parallel sparse direct Solver) is a software application for the solution of large sparse systems of linear algebraic equations on distributed memory parallel computers. It was developed in European project PARASOL (1996–1999) by CERFACS, IRIT-ENSEEIHT and RAL.

Key takeaways

MUMPS (software) belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect MUMPS (software) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of MUMPS (software) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

MUMPS (MUltifrontal Massively Parallel sparse direct Solver) is a software application for the solution of large sparse systems of linear algebraic equations on distributed memory parallel computers. It was developed in European project PARASOL (1996–1999) by CERFACS, IRIT-ENSEEIHT and RAL. The software implements the multifrontal method, which is a version of Gaussian elimination for large sparse systems of equations, especially those arising from the finite element method. It is written in Fortran 90 with parallelism by MPI and it uses BLAS and ScaLAPACK kernels for dense matrix computations. Since 1999, MUMPS has been supported by CERFACS, IRIT-ENSEEIHT, and INRIA. The importance of MUMPS lies in the fact that it is a supported free implementation of the multifrontal method.

References Amestoy, P.R.; Duff, I.S.; l'Excellent, J.-Y. (2000). "Multifrontal parallel distributed symmetric and unsymmetric solvers". Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 184 (2–4): 501–520. Bibcode:2000CMAME.184..501A. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.56.5118. doi:10.1016/S0045-7825(99)00242-X. BibteX entry. {{cite journal}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |citeseerx= (help) Amestoy, Patrick R.; Duff, Iain S.; l'Excellent, Jean-Yves; Koster, Jacko (2001). "A fully asynchronous multifrontal solver using distributed dynamic scheduling". SIAM Journal on Matrix Analysis and Applications. 23 (1): 15–41. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.40.4181. doi:10.1137/S0895479899358194. BibteX entry. {{cite journal}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |citeseerx= (help) Amestoy, Patrick R.; Guermouche, Abdou; l’Excellent, Jean-Yves; Pralet, Stéphane (2006). "Hybrid scheduling for the parallel solution of linear systems". Parallel Computing. 32 (2): 136–156. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.332.1751. doi:10.1016/j.parco.2005.07.004. BibteX entry. {{cite journal}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |citeseerx= (help)

External links Official website WinMUMPS, files for compiling MUMPS on Windows

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with MUMPS (software)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what MUMPS (software) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to MUMPS (software) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about MUMPS (software) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of MUMPS (software)

In research: MUMPS (software) appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses MUMPS (software) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: MUMPS (software) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Free and open-source software stubs, Free software programmed in Fortran, Numerical software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for MUMPS (software) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study MUMPS (software) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what MUMPS (software) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain MUMPS (software) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is MUMPS (software) in simple terms?

Why does MUMPS (software) matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study MUMPS (software)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on MUMPS (software).