2. Maple for APPL

Maple is a computer algebra system and programming language that can be used for numerical computations, solving equations, manipulating symbolic expressions, plotting, and programming, just to name a few of the basics. APPL is, simply, a set of supplementary Maple commands and procedures that augments the existing computer algebra system. In effect, APPL takes the capabilities of Maple and turns it into a computer algebra system for computational probability. This chapter contains guidelines for using Maple, and discusses the Maple commands that are used in APPL programming. After reading this chapter, an APPL user will have the knowledge necessary to modify the APPL code to meet his or her particular needs. We will start with a discussion of basic numeric computation, then advance to defining variables, symbolic computations, functions, data types, solving equations, calculus and graphing. Then we will discuss the programming features of Maple that facilitate building the APPL language: loops, conditions, and procedures.