Frequently Asked Questions

Topic: appendix.faq

Frequently asked questions about MathHook covering general information, usage patterns, performance characteristics, development guidelines, and troubleshooting.

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is MathHook?

MathHook is a high-performance educational computer algebra system (CAS) written in Rust.

How does it compare to SymPy?

MathHook is 10-100x faster than SymPy for common operations while maintaining mathematical correctness.

What languages are supported?

Rust (native), Python, Node.js/TypeScript, and WebAssembly (coming soon).

Usage

How do I create expressions?

Use the expr! and symbol! macros:

#![allow(unused)]
fn main() {
extern crate mathhook_book;
use mathhook_book::mathhook;
use mathhook::prelude::*;

let x = symbol!(x);
let expr = expr!((x ^ 2) + 1);
}

Why use rationals instead of floats?

Rationals provide exact arithmetic without precision loss. Use floats only when approximation is acceptable.

How do I parse LaTeX?

#![allow(unused)]
fn main() {
extern crate mathhook_book;
use mathhook_book::mathhook;
use mathhook::prelude::*;

let parser = Parser::new(ParserConfig::default());
let expr = parser.parse(r"\frac{x^2}{2}").unwrap();
}