Maddox, Randy



Pepperdine University

Department of Mathematics

Malibu, CA 90263

 

Multivariate Calculus via Mathematica and Toolbook



Multivariate Calculus via Mathematica and Toolbook (MCMAT) exploits 

the computational and graphical strengths of Mathematica and the 

navigational and organizational capabilities provided by the multi-

media package Toolbook. The primary student/text interface is with 

Toolbook.  By opening a Toolbook session, a Mathematica notebook is 

automatically opened in the background, ready to be called by Toolbook 

at appropriate times as the student works through the session.  Using 

Toolbook as the student interface allows the text to present 

expository material and graphics, to ask questions of the student 

along the way, and to construct Mathematica commands and send them to 

Mathematica for execution.  Specifically, a page of a Toolbook session 

might contain any of the following devices:



*	 A graphics object like a sheet of paper on which the expository 

material is presented.  This text may contain hotwords which call 

up reminders of previous material or more thorough explanations.  

It might prompt the student with a rhetorical question, with a hint 

or answer that can be revealed by a mouse action.



*	 Graphics objects imported from Mathematica or other software 

package. These may be still graphics objects which could contain 

hot spots for explanation, objects which can be animated by the 

student at the push of a button (with the mouse), or objects which 

can be moved by the student with the mouse.



*	 Fields and buttons which construct Mathematica commands and send 

them to Mathematica for execution.  For example, a list of possible 

functions may be displayed so that the student can select one, or 

create his own if he chooses. By then pressing a button, Toolbook 

uses the chosen function in a complete Mathematica command, sends 

this command to Mathematica, and activates the Mathematica window.  

The student can then execute the command, edit and re-execute, etc; 

then return to Toolbook.



*	 Question fields in which the student types a response.  Questions 

are asked along the way as the student works through the Toolbook 

session.  With the aid of a custom Toolbook menu, mathematical 

symbols are available to the student as he supplies a written 

response to the question.  At the end of the Toolbook session, the 

student may press a button and have Toolbook compile and print all 

of the questions and answers in a report to be turned in.



Each Toolbook session contains an Exercise section at the end.  These 

questions may be printed out by the student, if needed, and worked out 

with pencil and paper.



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