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Mathcad Features: Version by Version Comparison

For a detailed comparison of Mathcad 8 Professional and Mathcad 8 Standard, click here.


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  5.0 PLUS 5.0 6.0 Standard PLUS 6.0 7
Standard
7
Professional
8
Standard
8
Professional
CALCULATING POWER                
Find derivatives and perform integration using a variety of built-in numerical methods * * * * * * MORE MORE
Find derivatives and perform integration using a variety of built-in symbolic methods   *   * * * MORE MORE
Apply basic calculus functions, -- trigonometric, hyperbolic, exponential and more * * * * * * MORE MORE
Compute the values of special Bessel functions including Airy, Bessel Kelvin, and spherical Bessel               NEW
Handle real, imaginary & complex numbers, & dimensional values * * * * * * * *
Expand, factor and simplify expressions algebraically   *   * * * * *
Apply advanced statistical functions to support hypothesis testing and data analysis     * * * * MORE MORE
Evaluate Hermite, Jacobi, Laguerre, Legendre and Chebyshev classes of polynomials               NEW
Use 13 ordinary & partial differential equation solvers to solve differential equations, systems of differential equations & boundary value problems   *   *   *   *
Perform data smoothing, regression analyses and curve-fitting on your data sets     * * * * * MORE
Advanced data smoothing functions provided for smoothing time series data with a Gaussian kernel, or an adaptive linear least squares method       *   *   *
Advanced linear algebra functions, including Cholesky, QR, LU & SV decomposition       *   *   *
Manipulate arrays & matrices. Find the trace, eigenvalues & eigenvectors of a matrix   *   *   MORE   MORE
Truncate and round-off numbers             NEW NEW
Perform combinatorics on numbers and sets             NEW NEW
Find the optimal solution to a problem with or without constraints             NEW NEW
Solve using powerful new linear programming functionality             NEW NEW
Solve problems with hundreds of variables and constraints               MORE
Browse hundreds of functions, by category using the convenient function dialog box.             NEW NEW
Speed through common tasks with the help of IntelliMath�, which automates routine operations.             NEW NEW
Let Mathcad�s AutoSelect feature analyze your problem and select the best-solution algorithm.             NEW NEW
Optimize your expressions, and let Mathcad�s built-in numeric and symbolic processors work together to find the best solution to your problem.     *   * * * *
Watch as Mathcad automatically tracks and converts your units as you work (SI unit system,MKS, CGS, and U.S. customary units) * * * * MORE MORE MORE MORE
POWERFUL FUNCTIONAL PROGRAMMING                
Create your own functions quickly using Mathcad�s programming operators       *   *   *
Use looping, recursion, conditional branching, and other procedural operators for building functional programs       *   *   *
Define complex data structures, nested arrays, string variables and more           *   *
Implement run-time error-handling with the On Error statement           *   *
Program with live symbolic expressions           *   *
MATHCONNEX� VISUAL PROGRAMMING ENVIRONMENT                
Obtain a high-level view of your project using the systems and data flow approach           *   *
Visually integrate and link applications and data sources to create heterogeneous computational systems           *   *
Assemble large projects visually by �wiring� together their subsystems           *   *
Access 19 visual drag-and-drop components to set up your systems � including Mathcad, Excel, and MATLAB           *   MORE
Use additional built-in tools to activate, analyze, and debug your calculations           *   *
TIGHT INTEGRATION                
Launch and edit Mathcad from worksheets directly within word processing, spreadsheets, and other applications you use         * * * *
Integrate data and computations into your Mathcad worksheets from Excel, Axum, and MATLAB         * * * MORE
Drive your CAD drawings from Mathcad and automatically verify them against specifications               NEW
Embed, link, and automate any OLE2-compliant application or ActiveX control in Mathcad using VBScript or JScript           *   *
Use OLE Automation to develop complete solutions incorporating Mathcad computations               NEW
Move data from all the most common applications in and out of Mathcad, quickly and easily         * * MORE MORE
Data filters for Excel files, 1-2-3, ASCII & more         * * MORE MORE
MATLAB 4 and MATLAB 5 data filter           *   *
COMPLETE EXTENSIBILITY                
Set up your own function libraries       *   *   *
Define your own customized mathematical notation       *   *   *
Extend functionality with discipline- and industry-specific extension packs           *   MORE
Add electronic content and discipline-specific reference materials with Mathcad libraries         * * * MORE
Create your own functions using C or C++   *   *   *   *
Extend Mathcad�s charting capabilities with Axum® 5, with over 30 technical graph & plot types         * * * *
EFFORTLESS CHARTING & VISUALIZATION                
Create bar charts, line graphs, polar plots, vector plots, contour plots, scatter plots, and surface plots * * * * * * * *
Enhance your visualization capabilities with Trace & Zoom, animations, and image viewing     * * * * * *
Visualize your functions easily using 2D QuickPlot         * * * *
Get enhanced 3D visualization through OpenGL graphics             NEW NEW
Rotate, spin, and zoom in on your graphs for the first time ever by using your mouse. Adjust lighting, color and surface properties             NEW NEW
Use new annotation capabilities for 3D plots.             NEW NEW
Simplify plotting using the 3D Plot Wizard             NEW NEW
RICH DOCUMENT PREPARATION CAPABILITIES                
Create effective documents using flexible headers and footers, with bitmaps for example             NEW NEW
Improve document layout with a variety of bullet and numbered list styles             NEW NEW
Easily format paragraphs with advanced formatting options             NEW NEW
Produce consistent documents with templates and styles         * * * *
Hide complex equations with collapsible areas               NEW
Guarantee document security with lock, unlock and timestamp       *   *   MORE
Speed through editorial changes with advanced find and replace     * * * * MORE MORE
Simplify your writing tasks with convenient editing menus and shortcuts * * * * * * MORE MORE
Customize your toolbars to meet your needs             NEW NEW
Ensure accuracy with technical spell checker * * * * * * * *
Include equations in text & highlight equations     * * * * * *
WEB INTEGRATION                
Save worksheets in HTML format for web publishing             NEW NEW
Join the Collaboratory�, a free Mathcad Internet forum         * * MORE MORE
Define hyperlinks locally or to the Web     * * * * MORE MORE
Browse �live� math and HTML         * * * *
EASY-TO-USE GUIDANCE TOOLS                
Search the Resource Center for discipline-specific examples             MORE MORE
Reference hundreds of standard formulas and constants         * * * *
Select from over 300 QuickSheets covering standard analyses and tasks         * * MORE MORE
Access regularly updated content through Mathcad�s Web Library         * * MORE MORE
Consult the easy-to-use HTML help system             NEW NEW
Get free individual technical support         * * * *
Quickly become productive using on-line tutorials             MORE MORE
IMPROVED USABILITY                
New Office 97-style user interface             NEW NEW
MAPI-based E-mail support     * * * * * *
Complete OLE2 and ActiveX support         * * MORE MORE
Windows 95 and NT compatible             * *
Windows 98 and NT compatible             NEW NEW


Here is information on who to contact with questions about purchasing Mathcad.
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