7. To conclude

Readers will have noticed that all the examples given here are essentially symbolic calculations: the few results evaluated numerically have only been used to illustrate an exact result. However, with the evalf function and many others, Maple has the necessary tools for numerical analysis, and it's useful to be able to extend the exploration of symbolic calculation when it reaches its limit. Nevertheless, numerical calculation is not Maple's specialty: it's generally agreed that, when such calculations need to be pursued, Maple is far less powerful than software dedicated to numerical analysis (Matlab, for example).

So what subjects fall within the scope of formal calculus in the strict sense of the term? We have to admit that this is a narrow band, limited downwards by what could easily be handled by hand, such as the study of Villarceau's circles (§