Mathcad Users Guide - Northern Illinois University

4 / Chapter 1Mathcad simplifies and streamlines documentation, critical to communicating and tomeeting business and quality assurance standards. By combining equations, text, andgraphics in a single worksheet, Mathcad makes it easy to keep track of the most complexcalculations. By printing the worksheet exactly as it appears on the screen, Mathcadlets you make a permanent and accurate record of your work.Highlights of Mathcad 11 ReleaseMathcad 11 features a number of improvements and added capabilities designed toincrease your productivity and Web connectivity. For more in-depth details and liveexamples see New Features under Tutorials in the Help menu.Usability Features Undo. Undo in Mathcad now extends far beyond the facility that existed in previousversions. It is now possible to undo and redo edits to most actions and backtrack inas many steps as you need. Copy/Paste Tables with Mixed Data Format: Data copied and pasted intomatrices from tabular applications, such as Excel, or ASCII worksheets that containrows and columns, will preserve data characteristics, including text, numerics,complex numbers, or empty cells. Menus and Toolbar Changes: Mathcad menus and toolbars have been updated toinclude new features and make existing features easier to find and use. You cannow add additional buttons to the Standard toolbar by right clicking on it andchoosing Customize including new buttons for exchanging data. New Resourcesand Controls toolbars have been added. Interface Updates: Pressing [Ctrl] F9 allows you to recalculate an entireworksheet just as F9 recalculates a single region. Regions can be nudged intoalignment with arrow keys. The Formatting toolbar now includes subscript andsuperscript buttons that work in both math and text regions. Save to Web: There is now a single choice for saving Mathcad documents as HTMLunder the Save As. choice on the File menu and a new Save as Web Page Wizard.All documents saved as HTML will always be readable back into Mathcad,regardless of other choices made. This is accomplished by saving the ContentMathML required by Mathcad inside the HTML markup. You can choose how tosave your equations, how to save images, and layout preferences including whetheror not to use a template. Save for Microsoft Word: Mathcad documents can now be saved or copied intoMicrosoft Word through Rich Text Format (RTF) using positioning tables to retainall layout features, particularly side-by-side positioning of regions. Microsoft Wordwill need to be in the Print Layout view to see all the formatting. We’ve includeda new template with margins set to match Microsoft Word’s margins.

Highlights of Mathcad 11 Release / 5Data Input/Output Data File Reading and Writing: Components for reading and writing data filesnow preserve data characteristics, including strings, numerics, complex numbers,and empty cells. Reading and writing support a variety of delimiters, includingcommas, semicolons, tabs, and special characters. Excel Data Exchange: When reading in from Excel you can now choose a nameddata range and a specific worksheet within the file. Binary File Reading and Writing: Two new functions have been introduced toread and write binary data, READBIN and WRITEBIN, allowing you to set variousparameters on your data.Math Enhancements 1D Partial Differential Solve Blocks: One-dimensional parabolic and hyperbolicPartial Differential Equations (PDEs) can now be solved inside solve blocks usingthe new built-in function pdesolve() or with the new function numol(). Both thewave equation and the heat equation, systems of PDEs, and PDEs with algebraicconstraints, can be solved numerically in Mathcad, as long as they are linear in theirhighest order time derivatives. New Bessel Functions: The Bessel functions now accept complex arguments andnegative or fractional order. Most Bessel functions now have an exponentiallyscaled counterpart, as does the Gamma function. This is useful when trying toevaluate scaled Bessels for large arguments without generating overflow errors. New Hankel Functions: The new Hankel functions evaluate following theirdefinition. Thresholded Truncation: New, uppercase versions of the truncation functions(floor, ceil, round, etc.) take a second threshold argument and scale by the thresholdbefore performing the truncation, then rescale after truncation. This is useful if youneed to truncate without units. However, the lowercase version of these functionsno longer take arguments with units to avoid ambiguity when converting betweenunit systems. Additionally, all truncation functions now accept complex arguments. Sinc and Seed: A new function has been added for sin(x)/x and its behavior at x 0 has improved. The new Seed function resets the seed value used in random numberand random distribution functions dynamically in a Mathcad worksheet. It can alsobe used in a program to set different seeds for different loops through a randomgenerator call. Error functions: The error function (erf) and complimentary error function (erfc)now accept complex arguments. Strict Boolean Comparison: When doing comparison operations on floating pointnumbers that vary beyond the calculation precision of your machine, you may wantto implement strict Boolean comparison within your worksheet. If you check thisoption, the two sides of a Boolean sentence will be compared exactly.

6 / Chapter 1Programming Scriptable Object Improvements: Mathcad Scriptable Object components cannow call other objects and variables in a Mathcad worksheet using the Automationmethods outlined in Help Developer’s Reference under Accessing Mathcadfrom Another Application.String Support in User EFIs: User-written functions for Mathcad may now beprogrammed to pass strings as arguments and outputs. MCSTRING has been addedto define a null-terminated character string pointer.New Online Resources New Tutorials: Getting Started Primers and In-depth Features are entirely new,geared both for new users and users looking for help on more advanced features.They are accessible from the Resources toolbar or directly from the Help menu. QuickSheets and Application Samples: QuickSheets provide live examples ofmost Mathcad functions. They are now all linked from Help. In addition,application samples are now included under Using Mathcad with OtherApplications in the QuickSheets. These example files are also accessible directlyfrom the Help menu. Developer’s Reference: This online Help now provides more guidance andexamples for custom controls, creating scriptable objects, and Automation. Linkedsample files have been added to help you use these features. Web Library: The E-books in the Web Library at www.mathcad.com includehelpful resources for using Mathcad. If you are solving differential equations, werecommend downloading Differential Equation Solve Blocks: ODEs and DAEs inMathcad.If you are upgrading from a version earlier than Mathcad 2001i, you will find manymore new features. Online Help, QuickSheets, Tutorials, and this User’s Guide will allhelp orient you to the current features in Mathcad.Mathcad Enterprise Mathcad 11 Enterprise is designed for organizational use of Mathcad, withadditional capabilities to support networked or server-based deployment. MathcadEnterprise supports Microsoft Sharepoint, including networked accessibility,check-in/check-out, version management, and access control.

System Requirements / 7System RequirementsIn order to run Mathcad 11, the following are recommended or required: PC with Pentium/Celeron processor running at 233 MHz. 300 MHz or higherrecommended. Windows 98 SE, Me, NT 4.0 SP6, 2000 SP2, XP or higher. Minimum 96 MB of RAM. 256 MB or higher recommended. SVGA or higher graphics card and monitor. At least 150 MB disk space. Internet Explorer, version 5.5 or higher is required for full functionality of the Helpsystem, accessing HTML content within the Resources window, the opening andsaving of web-based files, and automatic product activation. IE 6 can be installedfrom the CD. IE does not need to be your default browser. CD-ROM drive or DVD drive. Keyboard and mouse or compatible pointing device.Direct Internet connection or Internet access through a service provider isrecommended.InstallationNote The installation of Mathcad 11 requires the uninstallation of any previous versions of Mathcadfrom your computer before installing the new version. We have found that running more thanone version of Mathcad from the same computer can lead to instability and unexpectedbehaviors. To uninstall previous versions of Mathcad, use “Add/Remove Programs” from yourWindows Start menu under Settings Control Panel.Instructions in this section are intended for single-user editions of Mathcad 11.Enterprise Edition users should refer to the Installation and License ManagementGuide included with your copy of Mathcad for installation instructions.To Install Mathcad1. Insert the Mathcad CD into your CD-ROM drive. The first time you do this, theCD will automatically start the installation program. If the installation program doesnot start automatically, you can start it by choosing Run from the Start menu andtyping D:\SETUP (where “D:” is your CR-ROM drive). Click “OK.”2. Click the Mathcad button on the main installation page.3. When prompted, enter your product code, located on the back of the CD envelope.4. Follow the remaining on-screen instructions.To install other items from the Mathcad CD, such as Internet Explorer or AcrobatReader, click the button for that item on the main installation page.

8 / Chapter 1Activating Your InstallationWhen you finish installing Mathcad, you will be prompted to activate your installation.If you opt to do so, Mathcad will be launched to activate your installed copy. Activationensures that you have purchased a valid licensed copy of Mathcad and can be doneautomatically if you have an active Internet connection. If you have Internet access onyour computer, but not an active Internet connection, you should initiate one beforeattempting activation.If you opt to activate Mathcad manually, you will need to provide the followinginformation to Mathsoft Engineering and Education, Inc. by using the form providedin contact.txt, available from the Activation Wizard: Your email address. The product you are registering (in this case, Mathcad 11). Your License Number*. Your Product Code. Your Request Code*.Entries marked with an “*” are available only from the Activation Wizard. Informationsubmitted during activation is used only to process your request, and is not stored orused for any other purposes.Once you fill out your copy of contact.txt, submit the information to Mathsoft. Usersin the US and Canada may do so by either: Faxing a copy of contact.txt to 1-617-444-8001. Emailing a copy of contact.txt to activation@mathsoft.com. Phoning 1-800-827-1263 and supplying the information from contact.txt whenprompted.If you purchased Mathcad outside the U.S. and Canada, please contact your localauthorized Mathcad distributor for your activation code. Contact information forMathcad distributors is available at:http://www.mathcad.com/buy/International Contacts.aspIf you do not have Web access you can contact Mathsoft International for assistance at: Email: activation@Mathsoft.co.uk Fax: 44 (0)1276 475552 Telephone: 44 (0)1276 450850Once you receive your Activation Key, return to the Activation Wizard and attempt amanual activation. Click “Next” until you reach the Enter Your Activation Key page,then enter the Activation Key you received. Once the Activation Key is accepted, yourinstallation of Mathcad will be activated and ready to use.

Technical Support / 9Questions about ActivationMathsoft has implemented activation to ensure that you have purchased a valid licensedcopy of Mathcad.Activation does not transfer any other personal information from your computer.Mathsoft product activation is completely anonymous and is only used to authenticateyour license.Activation allows you to install Mathcad on both your work computer and a homecomputer used for work or laptop. Most hardware and software upgrades to yourcomputer will not require reactivation, and you can reinstall Mathcad on the samemachine without using up an additional activation.Note Activation installs a C DILLA folder on your C-drive with your license for Mathcad use. If youdelete the C DILLA folder you may have to contact to Mathsoft to restore your activation.If your computer’s hardware has changed substantially you may have to contactMathsoft to reactivate.Technical SupportMathsoft provides free technical support for individual users of Mathcad 11. Pleasevisit the Support area of www.mathcad.com for more information regarding our supportpolicies as well as our searchable knowledge base.U.S. and Canada Web: http://support.mathsoft.com e-mail: support@mathsoft.com automated solution center: 617-444-8102 FAX: 617-444-8101InternationalIf you reside outside the US and Canada, please contact your local authorized Mathcaddistributor for technical support. Their contact details can be found at:http://www.mathcad.com/buy/International Contacts.asp.If you do not have web access you can contact Mathsoft International directfor assistance at: E-mail: help@Mathsoft.co.uk Fax: 44 (0)1276 475552 Telephone: 44 (0)1276 450850Site LicensesContact Mathsoft or your local distributor for information about technical support plansfor site licenses.

Chapter 2Getting Started with Mathcad!The Mathcad Workspace!Regions!A Simple Calculation!Definitions and Variables!Entering Text!Iterative Calculations!Graphs!Saving, Printing, and ExitingThe Mathcad WorkspaceFor information on system requirements and how to install Mathcad on your computer,refer to Chapter 1, “Welcome to Mathcad.”When you start Mathcad, you’ll see a window like that shown in Figure 2-1. By defaultthe worksheet area is white.Figure 2-1: Mathcad with various toolbars displayed.11

12 / Chapter 2Each button in the Math toolbar, shown in Figure 2-1, opens another toolbar ofoperators or symbols. You can insert many operators, Greek letters, and plots byclicking the buttons found on these toolbars:ButtonOpens math toolbar.Calculator: Common arithmetic operators.Graph: Various two- and three-dimensional plot types and graph tools.Matrix: Matrix and vector operators.Evaluation: Equal signs for evaluation and definition.Calculus: Derivatives, integrals, limits, and iterated sums and products.Boolean: Comparative and logical operators for Boolean expression.Programming: Programming constructs.Greek: Greek letters.Symbolic: Symbolic keywords.The Standard toolbar is the strip of buttons shown just below the main menus inFigure 2-1. Many menu commands can be accessed quickly by using these buttons.The Formatting toolbar is shown immediately below the Standard toolbar in Figure2-1. This contains scrolling lists and buttons used to specify font characteristics inequations and text.TipTo learn what a button on any toolbar does, let the mouse pointer rest on the button momentarily.You’ll see a tooltip beside the pointer giving a brief description.You can choose to show or hide each toolbar from the View menu. To detach and draga toolbar around your window, place the mouse pointer anywhere other than on a buttonor a text box. Then press and hold down the mouse button and drag.TipYou can customize the Standard, Formatting, and Math toolbars. To add and remove buttons,right click on the toolbar and choose Customize from the popup menu.

Regions / 13Working with WorksheetsWhen you start Mathcad, you open up a Mathcad worksheet. You can have as manyworksheets open as your available system resources allow.There are times when a Mathcad worksheet cannot be displayed in its entirety becausethe window is too small. To bring unseen portions of a worksheet into view, you can:Tip Expand the window as you do in other Windows applications. Choose Zoom from the View menu or clickchoose a number smaller than 100%.on the Standard toolbar andMathcad supports the Microsoft IntelliMouse and compatible pointing devices. Turning thewheel scrolls the window one line vertically for each click of the wheel. When you press[Shift] and turn the wheel, the window scrolls horizontally.See “Appendix I: Arrow and Movement Keys” on page 445 in the Appendices forkeystrokes for moving the cursor. If you are working with a longer worksheet, use Goto Page from the Edit menu to move quickly through the worksheet.TipMathcad supports standard Windows keystrokes for operations such as file opening, [Ctrl]O,saving, [Ctrl]S, printing, [Ctrl]P, copying, [Ctrl]C, and pasting, [Ctrl]V. ChoosePreferences from the Tools menu and uncheck “Standard Windows shortcut keys” in theGeneral tab to use shortcut keys supported in early versions of Mathcad.RegionsMathcad lets you enter equations, text, and plots anywhere in the worksheet. Eachequation, piece of text, or other element is a region. Mathcad creates an invisiblerectangle to hold each region. A Mathcad worksheet is a collection of such regions. Tostart a new region in Mathcad:1. Click anywhere in a blank area of the worksheet. You see a small crosshair.Anything you type appears at the crosshair.2. If the region you want to create is a math region, just start typing anywhere you putthe crosshair. By default Mathcad understands what you type as mathematics. See“A Simple Calculation” on page 16 for an example.3. To create a text region, first choose Text Region from the Insert menu and thenstart typing. See “Entering Text” on page 18 for an example.In addition to equations and text, Mathcad supports a variety of plot regions. See“Graphs” on page 21.TipMathcad displays a box around any region you are currently working in. When you click outsidethe region, the surrounding box disappears. To put a permanent box around a region or regions,select them, then right click and choose Properties from the popup menu. Click on the Displaytab and check the box next to “Show Border.”

14 / Chapter 2Selecting RegionsTo select a single region, simply click it. Mathcad shows a rectangle around the region.To select multiple regions:1. Press and hold down the left mouse button to anchor one corner of the selectionrectangle.2. Without letting go of the mouse button, move the mouse to enclose everything youwant inside the selection rectangle.3. Release the mouse button. Mathcad shows dashed rectangles around the regionsyou have selected.TipYou can also select a single region or disconnected regions anywhere in the worksheet byholding down the [Ctrl] key while clicking on each region. If you click one region and[Shift]-click another, you select both regions and all regions in between.Region PropertiesThe Region Properties dialog box allows you to perform the following actions,depending on the type of region you’ve selected: Highlight the region. Display a border around the region. Assign a tag to the region. Restore the region to original size. Widen a region to the entire page width. Automatically move everything down in the worksheet below the region when theregion wraps at the right margin. Disable/enable evaluation of the region. Optimize an equation. Turn protection on/off for the region.You can change the properties of a region or regions by right clicking and choosingProperties from the menu.TipYou can change the properties for multiple regions by selecting the regions you want to change,and either selecting Properties from the Format menu or by right clicking on one of the regionsand choosing Properties from the menu.Note When you select multiple regions, you may only change the properties common to the regionsselected. If you select both math and text regions, you will not be able to change text-only ormath-only options, such as “Occupy Page Width” or “Disable/Enable Evaluation”.

Regions / 15Moving and Copying RegionsOnce the regions are selected, you can move or copy them.Moving regionsYou can move regions by dragging with the mouse, nudging with the arrow keys, orby using Cut and Paste.To drag regions with the mouse:1. Select the regions.2. Place the pointer on the border of any selected region. The pointer turns into a smallhand.3. Press and hold down the mouse button.4

15: Extending and Automating Mathcad 231 Overview 231 Programming within Mathcad 231 Building Function DLLs 243 Creating Your Own Components 243 Accessing Mathcad from Within Another Application 248 Functions and Operators 16: Functions 249 Built-in Functions 249 Function Categories 249 Mathcad