Differential equations

[Fernando Pérez]

Luca Bruderer wrote:

> Hi
> 
> Is there a module that provides a function to do differential equations in
> python, for example: func(2x^3+3x-10,x) returns a string or anything else
> like "6x^2+3". I googled around but I couldn't find anything.

You are not asking about a differential equations module, but about a symbolic 
differentiation module. Big, big difference. For the first, look at SciPy. It 
has features for _numerical_ integration of odes, and I think also some basic 
stuff for pdes (could be wrong there). There's no well developed symbolic 
math project in python that I know of. Your best bet is PyGiNaC at: 
http://cens.ioc.ee/projects/pyginac. But I know Pearu has been busy with 
other things lately, so I don't know under how much development this is.

I've also heard rumors of people calling Mathematica from python, but haven't 
seen any code.

Doing polynomials is trivial, but it's also trivial by hand, so you don't need 
a computer for that :) Writing a generic differentiator isn't really that 
difficult either, even if it's tricky to get all the details right. An 
integrator, on the other hand...

Good luck,

f.