algebra in octave?

[Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso]

On 17/02/2008, Huub <huubvanniekerk at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm practising maths for univ. and wonder if I can octave for "simple"
> algebra like 3a³+b²?

Well, if by "algebra" you mean Serge Lang's book, then, no, Octave
isn't the best choice for that. ;-)

More seriously, I think you mean symbolic manipulations. You want to
type something like "expand( (a+b)^2);" and be told "a^2 + 2ab + b^2".
In that case, I recommend you look at Maxima[1] or go whole hog and
look at Sage[2], which is an interface to both Maxima and Octave and
does many other things of it is own.

HTH,
- Jordi G. H.

[1] http://maxima.sf.net
[2] http://www.sagemath.org