A function parser was included to allow entry of functions at runtime, as well as graphing facilities for any function and data set, focussing on any part of the domain, and graphing several entities simultaneously. In addition, the package can construct tables automatically, gives numerical information about results and produces properly documented printout. Students at Edinburgh have a wide spectrum of computer skills. Each student is given a workbook, setting certain problems, with spaces to be completed. There are staffed weekly sessions in a practical lab.
Some students prefer to work in their own time with an audio tape.
Projects can be set using the package. The end of year exam is based on work done in sessions. At present it includes interpolation, approximation and boundary value problems, and is being extended to initial values and integral equations. It is hoped that a demo disk will be available shortly. At Keele there is a lab with 15 Dos machines, and students work in pairs, with the textbook as backup.