computer science

MuMATH

MuMATH 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 MuMATH rather than just read about it. In short: muMATH is a computer algebra system developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Albert D. Rich and David Stoutemyer of Soft Warehouse in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Key takeaways

MuMATH 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 MuMATH to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of MuMATH from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

muMATH is a computer algebra system developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Albert D. Rich and David Stoutemyer of Soft Warehouse in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is implemented in the muSIMP programming language which is built on top of a LISP dialect called muLISP. It supports CP/M and TRS-DOS (since muMATH-79), Apple II (since muMATH-80) and MS-DOS (in muMATH-83, the final version, which was published by Microsoft). The Soft Warehouse later developed Derive, another computer algebra system. The company was purchased by Texas Instruments in 1999, and development of Derive ended in 2006.

Literature David D. Shochat, A Symbolic Mathematics System, Creative Computing, Oct. 1982, p. 26 Gregg Williams, The muSIMP/muMATH-79 Symbolic Math system, a Review, BYTE, Nov. 1980, p. 324 Stuart Edwards, A Computer-Algebra-Based Calculating System, BYTE 12/1983, pp- 481-494 (Describes a calculator application of muSIMP / muMATH doing automatic unit conversion.)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with MuMATH

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what MuMATH 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 MuMATH 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 MuMATH 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 MuMATH

In research: MuMATH 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 MuMATH 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: MuMATH is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics CP/M software, Computer algebra systems, Discontinued software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for MuMATH 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 MuMATH in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what MuMATH 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 MuMATH out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is MuMATH in simple terms?

muMATH is a computer algebra system developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Albert D. Rich and David Stoutemyer of Soft Warehouse in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Why does MuMATH 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 MuMATH?

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 MuMATH.