Most links below include both HTML files (for quick exploration and to get a feel for the style and content) and actual Maple worksheets (for download, editing and class usage). If you'd like to get the actual Maple worksheet, try right (or option if you're using a Mac) clicking the Maple worksheet link, and select the menu item similar to "Save Link As" to save the *.mws file locally. You can actually copy and paste HTML Maple commands into a live Maple worksheet (if you have a copy of Maple running locally in a separate window). Most of these Maple worksheets are dated (release 4 or 5 of Maple V) and Tom no longer uses Maple (he's now in a Mathematica friendly department). Nonetheless, Tom taught himself a fair bit of Maple V release 5, so if you have questions, he may be able to answer them. The general style of most linked files is that of a file which students open up and proceed to work through, in groups, as the instructor circulates and responds to questions. Many of the linked files contain a lecture or explanation of the relevant mathematical material, as well as some Maple commands that students should find useful for understanding and exploring the mathematical topics covered.
 

Introductions

Student introduction (Maple worksheet): In HTML, for people with no Maple experience. This is designed to be done in small groups, preferably in a lab setting. It introduces a few basic characteristics of Maple V release 5 and asks users to respond to questions by seeking on-line help. Appropriate for service math courses, other introductions (below) are more complete and more mathematically challenging.

Maple basics: ( Maple worksheet ) This is an HTML version of an introduction that includes some information for local users (i.e. things like how to start Maple at Moravian College etc. are included).

Full introduction: A Maple worksheet summarizing materials covered in the 1998 faculty summer seminar on Maple at Moravian College. The seminar was organized by Tom Linton and support was kindly provided by the Faculty Development and Research Committee at Moravian College. Some mathematical knowledge (calculus 1, 2, and 3) is beneficial for this document, which is designed for faculty members or majors wishing to learn Maple quickly. Currently, it is available only in a form suitable for saving to a local disk (it is too long and involved for HTML format) or loading into your own copy of Maple (assuming you have Maple configured as a helper application).

Maple Handbook for Students 1998. Written by Carl Eberhart at the University of Kentucky. This is one of the better introductions I know of, available in postscript, Maple worksheet format, or HTML from the link above.

Class Specific Materials

Calculus 1 and prior

The Derivative at a Point ( Maple worksheet ) An activity introducing the notion of instantaneous rate of change of a function, based on the basic notions of average rates of change and slopes for linear slopes.

Max-Min Exploration: ( Maple worksheet ) Based on problems from Calculus and Mathematica involving the location of extreme values of a function f(x), modified by Tom Linton. In this file, both graphical output and automated solvers are combined with tradtional calculus techniques to find and illustrate the extreme values of functions.

Exponential functions: The link to the left points to a Maple worksheet on exponential functions, their basic properties and how to estimate formulas f(x) = a * (b^x) from a small number of datapoints. The worksheet is fairly involved and assumes very little knowledge of either Maple or algebra skills. An extremely abbreviated (and older) version of this activity (in HTML) is available here.

Graphical and numerical limits: A Maple V release 5 worksheet which investigates the concept of picking x close to a to make f(x) close to L, from a numerical and graphical standpoint.

Implicit differentiation: ( Maple worksheet ) A paper and pencil activity (created with Maple) that explores the notion of implicit differentiation as motivated via numerical and graphical techniques.

Graphical Derivative:  A ready to print handout with a plot of a function f(x) and a set of axes to graph f '(x).

Calculus 2

Area Functions: ( Maple worksheet ) An activity which looks at area functions,
their derivatives and other relationships, from a graphical and numerical perspective.

Iterated Integration Animation: ( Maple worksheet ) A brief file that illustrates the idea of double integration as "integration in strips".

Trapezoid and Midpoint Rules: ( Maple worksheet ) A look at Maple's commands and some nifty graphics to explore the trapezoid and midpoint rules for numeric integration.

Calculus 3

Max-Min searches with the gradient: ( Maple worksheet ) An online version which explores the concept that the gradient points "straight uphill".

Loop Skywaltzer: ( Maple worksheet ) An activity dealing with laser beams (tangent lines) and spaceships (3D space curves), based on a problem from Calculus and Mathematica.

Series: ( Maple worksheet ) An activity that looks at the notion of power series and convergence.

Volumes of Revolution: ( Maple worksheet ) An HTML file that uses several 3d plotting commands to illustrate a surface of revolution.

Using the tangent plane: ( Maple worksheet ) An HTML file with commands that can be modified to draw 3d images related to using the tangent plane to motivate the chain rule, and directional derivatives.
 

Differential Equations

Euler's Method: ( Maple worksheet ) An activity which explains Euler's method and then uses Maple to construct numeric solutions to differential equations using the classical methods (Euler, improved Euler or Heun and rk4, the Runge-Kutta method of order 4).

Sensitivity: ( Maple worksheet ) An HTML file which looks at variations in solutions to differential equations resulting from altering slightly the driving function or the initial data point.

Coupled Spring Masses: ( Maple worksheet ) An HTML file which looks at systems of differential equations based on coupled Hooke's law spring masses. The file shows animations of the moving springs, plots of the components, orbits and time-state curves.

Extension and Longterm Behavior: ( Maple worksheet ) An HTML file which looks at maximally extended solutions to differential equations and the long term behavior of solutions to autonomous differential equations.

Cascading Systems ( Maple worksheet ) of linear ODE's and pulse rate functions. Maple commands associated with compartment ODEs, levels of antihistamines in the bloodstream and GI-tract and a general pulse, or on-off functional operator.

Practice final: ( Maple worksheet ) A collection of exam like questions based on Lomen and Lovelock's text.

Computer Science

Logs in Computer Science. A brief activity to develop the idea that if one repeatedly (integer) divides N by b, it should take roughly logb(N) repetitions to reach zero.

Growth Rates: A demonstration illustrating the notion of dominant term (in polynomials) and exponential versus polynomial growth (for an algorithms course).

Checking Big-Oh Analysis: A demonstration file for how one can attempt to justify the big-oh analysis of an algorithm by implementing the code and computing run time versus predicted time ratios.
 

Maple How To's

Document Preparation: A Maple worksheet that covers the basic aspects of document formatting with Maple. Sections, bookmarks, hyper links, defining styles, changing fonts and colors, and organizing execution groups are amongst the topics covered.

Working with list-like structures in Maple (sequences, ranges, sets, lists and their operands).

Plotting with Maple's numeric differential equation solver, and differential equation plotter for systems (brief).


Drawing by Kaci Linton, age 7.Return to Tom's Home Page.

This page is maintained by Tom Linton, and was last updated January 24, 2000.

Disclaimer: "The views expressed on this page are the responsibility of  Tom Linton and do not necessarily reflect Central College  policies or official positions."