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I'm looking for lightweight, free, Windows, Math software.
Something I can put an expression and get an answer, or graph it.
I tried Euler, but it is quiet complicated and HUGE.
Basic needs:

  1. Expression Based
  2. Supports Variables
  3. Support Functions, User defined and auto loaded.
  4. Supports graphs, 2D. Not really needing 3D.
  5. Supports History.

What do you use? What do you recommend?

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    $\begingroup$ "Math software" is a very general term, which encompasses computer algebra systems like Maxima and Mathematica, numerical computing environments like Matlab, and basic graphing calculators. It sounds like you want the third kind. $\endgroup$
    – user856
    Commented Oct 27, 2010 at 7:57
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    $\begingroup$ Should be community wiki! $\endgroup$
    – vonjd
    Commented Oct 27, 2010 at 8:55
  • $\begingroup$ It sounds like you're not primarily focused on symbolic math, but yacas is a lightweight symbolic math program: yacas.sourceforge.net/homepage.html $\endgroup$
    – user13618
    Commented Jan 5, 2012 at 17:30
  • $\begingroup$ Is "Wiscy" still around? (I have a version which is stil working) It seems to be designed as just what you are asking for... ("Pocket"-calculator like but expressions, variables, functions definable, graphics - all in one simple executable). (update: seems no more supported but possibly on some web-archive. see groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/bit.listserv.calc-ti/… ) $\endgroup$
    – Gottfried Helms
    Commented Dec 4, 2013 at 9:24

11 Answers 11

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As calculator wxMaxima (screenshots) with export to png and LaTeX syntax.

For playing with graphs I use GeoGebra with export to png, eps, pdf...

For some special cases Wolfram|Alpha.

And also MS Excel.

And also a normal calculator - is often faster than PC programs ;)

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I'm also interested in answers to this questions!

There is a Power Calculator from MS, but has a lot to be desired.

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  • $\begingroup$ It used to work for me, but recently, for some reason it does not display Answers or History at all. That is why I'm looking $\endgroup$
    – Ayman
    Commented Oct 27, 2010 at 7:52
  • $\begingroup$ According to powerCalc sin(1/x) is unbounded at x=0... $\endgroup$
    – AD - Stop Putin -
    Commented Oct 27, 2010 at 11:17
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I haven't personally used CPMP-Tools, but I've heard it referred to as a free CAS.

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In your position, I'd just use an interactive Python shell with Matplotlib. (But then, I'm a computer science guy first and foremost.)

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  • $\begingroup$ I don't see it user-friendly for mathematics. $\endgroup$
    – Vojta Rylko
    Commented Oct 27, 2010 at 8:38
  • $\begingroup$ @Vojtech It's pretty good for basic plotting. It has a syntax that is pretty much identical to matlab. A lot of people (me included) use it to plot figures for papers $\endgroup$
    – crasic
    Commented Oct 27, 2010 at 9:09
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Graphmatica does a fairly decent job at plotting functions. Not very powerful, but it can graph a lot of functions and their derivatives and such.

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I have also found SpeQ Mathematics.

It is very lightweight, starts quickly and has some good functions.

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You can try PARI/GP

I am more fan of sage but currently it doesn't natively support your OS, you can try it in a virtual machine.

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  • $\begingroup$ SAGE can also be run online be creating an account at sagenb.org. (which works wonderfully, by the way) $\endgroup$
    – Fredrik Meyer
    Commented Jan 5, 2012 at 16:45
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I'm not sure if it supports user defined functions but I've found Microsoft Mathematics to be extremely useful.

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Also, try GAP, an open-source system for discrete computational algebra.

To install in on Windows, I recommend to use the .exe installer downloadable from this link which always points to the latest official GAP release.

Documentation on GAP is included in the distribution and is also available online. In particular, see the GAP Tutorial and GAP Programming Language.

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Also, try DMelt program for scientific computations. It is 100% Java, runs on windows and free.

jPort also runs on Windows (Java) and can install about 10 free math programs that run on Windows.

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You may consider TeXmacs, it is a free wysiwyw editing platform with special features for scientists.

More related to your question, you can interface it with a lot of third party mathematics tools for algebraic calculus, graphing, numeric calculus, etc.

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Developed on GNU/Linux, it runs under Windows and Mac OS X as well. I guess the best user experience is with GNU/Linux.

Downside of TeXmacs regarding your question, it is not exactly lightweight, although absolutely free software.

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