Visual data analysis: maths made easy
Willy Hereman · Physics World · 1995
A vast range of scientific software is now available to help researchers solve equations, control experiments, analyse data and present their results. There are packages that specialize in data acquisition and analysis, graphics, visualization, statistics and symbolic mathematics (computer algebra). But these categories are not distinct – many maths packages have sophisticated graphics, data analysis programs can stretch to advanced statistical tests and so on. The packages also vary widely in price and the hardware platform needed to run them, which puts some well beyond the reach of the individual user (see Further reading).