A Step-by-Step Solution Methodology for Mathematical Expressions

In this paper, we propose a methodology for the step-by-step solution of problems, which can be incorporated into a computer algebra system. Our main aim is to show all the intermediate evaluation steps of mathematical expressions from the start to the end of the solution. The first stage of the met...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Symmetry (Basel) Vol. 10; no. 7; p. 285
Main Authors: Hosseinpour, Sahereh, Alavi Milani, Mir Mohammad Reza, Pehlivan, Hüseyin
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.07.2018
Subjects:
Algebra
Algorithms
Computer algebra
Computer engineering
Education
Functions (mathematics)
Lie groups
Mathematics
Methodology
Methods
Nodes
Polynomials
Programming languages
Semantics
Syntax
Teaching
New York
Turkey
United Kingdom > UK
Aachen Germany
United States > US
ISSN:2073-8994, 2073-8994
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In this paper, we propose a methodology for the step-by-step solution of problems, which can be incorporated into a computer algebra system. Our main aim is to show all the intermediate evaluation steps of mathematical expressions from the start to the end of the solution. The first stage of the methodology covers the development of a formal grammar that describes the syntax and semantics of mathematical expressions. Using a compiler generation tool, the second stage produces a parser from the grammar description. The parser is used to convert a particular mathematical expression into an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST), which is evaluated in the third stage by traversing al its nodes. After every evaluation of some nodes, which corresponds to an intermediate solution step of the related expression, the resulting AST is transformed into the corresponding mathematical expression and then displayed. Many other algebra-related issues such as simplification, factorization, distribution and substitution can be covered by the solution methodology. We currently focuses on the solutions of various problems associated with the subject of derivative, equations, single variable polynomials, and operations on functions. However, it can easily be extended to cover the other subjects of general mathematics.
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ISSN:2073-8994
2073-8994
DOI:10.3390/sym10070285