09.4 Symbolic vs Numeric Methods
9.4 Symbolic vs Numeric Methods Mathematical computation can happen in two main ways. We can work with symbols, such as $x$, $y$, fractions, equations, and formulas. We can also work with numbers, such as decimals, measurements, and approximations. These two styles are called symbolic methods and numeric methods. Symbolic methods A symbolic method keeps the mathematical expression in exact form. It does not immediately turn everything into decimals. For example,...