Talk:Computational mathematics

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 14 August 2020 and 4 December 2020. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Adriana.rodriguez2002. Peer reviewers: Idarys Newrton, Kiany.pv.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 18:14, 16 January 2022 (UTC)

Intro too narrow
The intro of this article is too narrow. It reads like the intro about computational science and engineering (CSE) rather than computational mathematics. As correctly listed further below in the article, computational mathematics also includes "computational pure mathematics", e.g., computing used in mathematical research itself (computational number theory, computational group theory, computational algebraic geometry, automated proof checking or theorem provers, ...). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.132.210.127 (talk) 07:52, 30 September 2015 (UTC)

Copied from Talk:Applied_mathematics
I have split off all that NSF stuff that User:JJL edited out into a separate article, and added some explanations there. Computational mathematics deserves a separate article anyway, I just did not think it would be so soon. Jmath666 05:04, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

I recall that was some kind of NSF panel report in early 80s that justified the existence of computational mathematics and I think gave it the name. Much like DDDAS and I think high performance computing. If I track it down I'll add it to references. Jmath666 05:10, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Hey - this happened to resolve a full page of red links... Jmath666 05:36, 3 April 2007 (UTC)

Need for this article
This article reads like computational science buzzword bingo. I don't believe this is a separate field but rather a different name for what is now usually called computational science. I suggest redirecting it there and editing that article to mention that, indeed, computational science as a named academic program often has an emphasis on the applications to science. Noting that there are SIAM journals of Num. Analysis and of Sci. Comp., I don't see the need for an entry for a variant term used by a few academic institutions and NSF programs. JJL 03:13, 4 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Well, I did not make those buzzwords. The various groups competing for a place in the sun over time did. Each group came up with a variation to look fresh and new. I do not like the buzzwords any more than you do, yet we should report them. Computational mathematics is different in that it is the mathematics of computational science (or any of the other buzzwords). At least there are references to support what is in the article, regardless if we like it or not. Regarding the role of NSF and the other agencies, they pay the bills. The existence of an NSF program for a field is a de-facto recognition that it exists.


 * The group qualified to reach a consensus is WikiProject Mathematics so please let us continue at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Mathematics. Jmath666 03:48, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

Origins of the term Computational mathematics
I have marked the origin by early 1950s with Fact. I also think it is something like that - or sometime between 1950 and 1980 - but I'd like to have a reference. Jmath666 04:41, 4 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I took that line to refer less to the origin of the term than to the modern field which I'll place with James H. Wilkinson etc. The term is both far older and in other ways newer. Computational science I'd place more to the 80s, personally. JJL 13:12, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

I agree. Just how to document this by sources. Jmath666 15:38, 4 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Right now this article mostly argues about what, if anything, the term means. JJL 00:52, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

What do you expect after a discussion about just that and corresponding changes. Anyway, this made me do some research - not what someone thinks but based on actual documented sources - please look at User:Jmath666/Scientific computation this is very rough and the sources are not cited there yet; see Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Mathematics for them and further details. Feel free to edit there too. Jmath666 02:37, 5 April 2007 (UTC)


 * No further help seems likely to come from the WikiProject. JJL 21:06, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

Some responded by adding edits with more information. There is certainly a community of mathematicians that identifies itself with computational mathematics, which that article documents well, along with some history. I personally consider the term CM awkward and you do not seem to like its very existence. That does not change the fact that it exists and there is no reason to remove valid information. Jmath666 00:16, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
 * I think Mathematics of Computation changed to that name from its earlier name (something like 'Mathematical Tables and Aids'... not that, but along those lines) in the 1950s, which supports the article's original assertion. CRGreathouse (t | c) 04:56, 18 January 2009 (UTC)
 * According to JSTOR, it was called Mathematical Tables and Other Aids to Computation until 1959. -- Jitse Niesen (talk) 13:40, 18 January 2009 (UTC)
 * That's it. That seems to support an origin <= 1959.  I think there's a letter from the editor in the first issue of Mathematics of Computation (under that name) that describes the rationale for the name change, and it may have used the term "computational mathematics" explicitly (or not). Maybe I'll look it up tomorrow; it's late now. CRGreathouse (t | c) 04:44, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Title of the article
Before my edit, the article was not about computational mathematics, but about computational applied mathematics. Presently, in the mathematical community computational mathematics refers, more specifically, to the direct interaction between mathematics and computation.

I was tempted by a move request, but, as this article is a stub (or a WP:broad concept article), and computational mathematics (properly speaking) seems not be covered in Wikipedia, it is better to expand the article for distinguishing the two meanings. I have tried this in a new introductory paragraph, but this clearly requires to be extended and completed. D.Lazard (talk) 09:21, 11 June 2018 (UTC)