Indian Journal of Science and Technology

Abstract

Objectives: Numerical calculus can be done using calculators, readymade packages or programming languages. The spreadsheets are a middle course between the programming languages and the readymade packages. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Spreadsheet programs serve as a powerful tool for graphical analysis and programming. Findings: We shall describe how the ubiquitous Microsoft EXCEL can be used to do numerical calculus, with appropriate examples. Use of EXCEL does not require any prior knowledge of computer programming and are straightforward to use. Applications/ Improvements: We apply the Microsoft EXCEL to do the numerical integration and to obtain numerical solutions of equations using the Newton-Raphson method.

Keywords: Microsoft EXCEL, Newton-Raphson Method, Numerical Calculus, Numerical Integration, Spreadsheets, Trapezoidal Rule.