Software for Developing Mathematical Models 191

to use. If repeated solutions are required for different combinations of the

model parameters by rearranging the model equations, then TK Solver would
be more appropriate. Excel® may be used in such cases using the Goal Seek
and Solver options.
Dynamic problems involving a single ODE can be solved with all of the
above packages. Mathematica® can find an analytical solution, if possible,
and all of them can be used to find numerical solutions. Systems of ODEs can
also be solved by all of them; however, the equation solver-based packages
and the dynamic simulation packages are more efficient for solving problems
involving ODEs. Higher-order equations can be solved directly by
Mathematica® and MATLAB®, whereas in Mathcad®, TK Solver, Extend™,
ithink®, and Simulink®, they have to be reduced to first order by substitution
beforehand. PDEs can be handled efficiently by Mathematica® and MATLAB®
but with fairly bulky models in the others. Examples of the use of spread-
sheets for solving single, coupled, and partial differential equations have been
presented previously (El Shayal, 1990a; El Shayal, 1990b; Kharab, 1988).
Excel®, TK Solver, Extend™, ithink®, and Simulink® packages are data-
based, in that numerical values have to be input for the solution. Mathcad®,
Mathematica®, and MATLAB® can handle equations symbolically.
Mathcad®, Mathematica®, and MATLAB® are best suited for abstract model-
ing using symbols and for numeric simulations. Mathcad® and Mathematica®
feature the “same sheet” interface, where all the inputs, outputs, and interac-
tions are presented in the same screen. The “multiple sheet” environment in
MATLAB® demands a steeper learning curve.
Mathcad®, Mathematica®, and MATLAB® feature rich post-processing
capabilities for plotting, visualization, animation, and presentation. In com-
parison, the plotting facilities in Excel®, TK Solver, Extend™, ithink®, and
Simulink® serve basic needs, with limited options for customizing. It should
also be pointed out that all of the above packages incorporate several other
powerful features that are not discussed here, because they are not commonly
utilized in modeling environmental systems. For example, spreadsheet
packages include statistical tools, database functions, etc., and mathemati-
cal packages include curve fitting, complex algebra, etc.
Shacham and Cutlip (1999) have presented a comparison of Excel®,
Mathematica®, MATLAB®, Mathcad®, and two other equation solver-type
packages, Maple® and POLYMATH, in developing simulation models in
chemical engineering. They concluded that all of them were functionally
capable and ranked them as follows on the basis of user friendliness and
amount of technical effort involved: (1) POLYMATH, (2) Mathcad®,
(3) MATLAB®, (4) Mathematica®, (5) Maple®, and (6) Excel®.

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