"Composite Algorithms in the Teaching of Mathematical Methods"

Brian Dupee, University of Bath, U.K. * 
Raquel Martinez, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain 
Santiago Tapia, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain


The combination of the power of symbolic systems and the reliability of 
numerical methods together with graphical facilities has significant uses 
in the teaching of mathematical methods to scientists and  engineers.
This presentation will describe a prototype package which uses algorithms 
created within the symbolic algebra system Axiom, numerical routines from 
the NAG Libraries together with the easy-to-use facilities of modern 
graphical interfaces.
The application considers the implementation of different techniques, both 
symbolic and numeric, for the analysis and calculation of interpolating 
functions for curve fitting with the intention of providing scientists, 
engineers and their students with a graphical student-friendly tool for the 
understanding and explanation of relationships between interpolation 
methods.