An On-Line Symbolic Mathematics System Using Hand-Printed Two-Dimensional Notation

摘要

A description of a system being developed for the on-line manipulation of symbolic mathematical expressions is given. The user hand-prints his formulas, and the mathematical rules to be followed, on a Rand Tablet in ordinary two-dimensional mathematical notation. The system recognizes the characters and interprets the whole expression from the spatial relationships, in accordance with a previously input syntax. The user at his console directs the computer to apply various rules of transformation that he has input. He maintains as much control over the transformations and the displays as he desires. Because the parser is entirely syntax-directed, the user can solve a wide variety of problems and can introduce novel operators as long as he declares their properties. Syntaxes that handle matrix notation and arbitrary directed-line graphs have been written and tested on the parser. (Author)