FOSSPicks
Numerical tool system
SageMath
Necessity is the mother of invention, and this aphorism certainly helps to explain the recent proliferation of education software. Linux and open source are ideal platforms for this because there's no proprietary barrier to entry and hardware requirements are low and inexpensive. But there's already a huge number of applications and platforms that anyone can use to expand their learning. For serious mathematicians, for instance, there's SageMath, a brilliant alternative to the costly Mathematica and MATLAB, and it's been around since 2005. Installation is easy if you're happy to run the pre-compiled binary from the project's main site, which sucks up around 2GB of bandwidth to download. This seems surprising for what is essentially a command-line application, but the pre-compiled binary includes everything you need to take your calculations from your humble keyboard out into space, from Python and IPython to PARI, GAP, Singular, Maxima, NTL, and GMP. Like quadratic equations, we don't know what half of those mean either.
SageMath at first seems complex, but it claims to be equally capable with elementary mathematics as with advanced, pure, and applied mathematics. You can verify this by launching SageMath on the command line and typing 1+1 into its interpreter. The answer is a resolute 2, rather than a convergent equation. But of course, this isn't even the beginning of the beginning. SageMath can easily plot both 2D and 3D functions, for example, by generating a PNG image and automatically spawning your desktop's default image viewer. There's also an interactive element that helps you construct functions where a user can change the formula and see the changing plot in real time. If you've got the mind for it, the documentation is also excellent and wonderfully educational. There are chapters on calculus and cryptography, number theory, fractals, statistics and probability, and even loop quantum gravity (whatever that is).
Project Website
Mattermost terminal client
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.