Maple Lab • Foundations

From “I have never used Maple” to “I can drive a worksheet”
Foundations track

This track assumes you have never opened Maple before. The goal is simple: you should be able to open Maple, run commands, write a clean worksheet, and not be afraid of the interface.

🌱 Beginner-friendly all the way 💻 Focus on interface, not theory 📁 Safe saving & reopening of work

Module F0 • Getting into Maple for the first time

Before you try calculus or linear algebra in Maple, you need a calm first meeting with the software. This module is about feeling at home.

F0.1
Opening Maple and running basic commands

Once Maple is open, you should see a blank worksheet. Click inside and try:

  • 2 + 3;
  • 3^4;
  • sqrt(2);

Press Enter to run each line. A result should appear under each command.

Checklist:
  • You can type in an input region.
  • You know that commands end with ; (show output) or : (hide output).
  • You have seen Maple output appear under your commands.
F0.2
Understanding worksheet structure

A clear worksheet separates explanation from commands. A simple pattern that works well:

  • Title and your name at the top.
  • Short text paragraphs explaining what you are doing.
  • Command blocks that Maple executes.

Try building a worksheet with sections like:

  • Section 1: Warm-up calculations.
  • Section 2: Functions and plots.
  • Section 3: One “challenge” example.
Aim: if someone else opens your worksheet, they should quickly understand what each block of commands is trying to show.
F0.3
Saving and reopening safely

A worksheet is saved as a .mw file. Use a folder you can find easily and a clear naming scheme:

  • maple-mat112-week1.mw
  • maple-linear-algebra-lab1.mw

Each time you finish a study session, save and reopen the file immediately to confirm that nothing is corrupted.

Good habit: one folder per course, with filenames that start with maple- and mention the course code.
For NAMSSN tutors: during hands-on sessions, walk around and check that students’ worksheets have a clear title, separated text and commands, and a sensible filename. This small discipline pays off over several semesters.

Module F1 • Restarting Maple and asking for help

Every computer algebra system has two survival skills: clearing memory and reading documentation. Maple is no different.

F1.1
Restarting when things get messy

If you have defined many variables and something feels wrong, use:

  • restart;

This clears Maple’s memory (definitions, assumptions, etc.) but does not erase your file. You can then re-run the commands you actually need.

Habit: when a result looks impossible, ask yourself “did I restart?” before you panic.
F1.2
Using built-in help

Maple’s help pages are dense, but they contain examples that are worth copying. Useful patterns:

  • ?int – help for integration.
  • ?diff – help for differentiation.
  • ?LinearAlgebra – list of linear algebra commands.

When you open a help page, scroll down until you see complete examples with input and output.

Help strategy: pick one example from the help page, paste it into your own worksheet, run it, then adjust it slightly. Do this before you try to use the command on a hard problem from your course.

Keyboard habits that make Maple easier

A few key combinations save a lot of time during labs and exams.

Run a command

Enter after a command line.

If nothing happens, check that your cursor is inside an input region, not a text region.

New line inside a command

Shift + Enter

Use this to break long commands into multiple lines without executing them yet.

Undo & redo

Ctrl + Z (undo), Ctrl + Y (redo).

Commenting a line

You can use a hash # to add a comment:

f := x -> x^2 + 1; # my test function

Minimal Maple “code of conduct”

Good practice for UI students
  • • Do not type everything in one giant block. Break work into small, labelled sections.
  • • Always keep one copy of a worksheet that still runs from top to bottom without errors.
  • • Avoid one-letter variable names for important objects in long worksheets.
  • • Keep a separate scratch worksheet where you test risky commands before copying them into a clean version.

For tutors and demonstrators

During labs, the aim is not to show everything Maple can do. The aim is to make students confident enough to explore later. A good one-hour session might focus only on:

  • • Opening Maple and typing basic arithmetic commands.
  • • Writing one small, well-structured worksheet together.
  • • Showing restart; and one example of using ?int or ?diff.
  • • Saving the worksheet with a course-based filename.

Everything else in the Maple Lab builds on these habits.