text: what math program (mathematica, maple, or mathcad) is best? i am a junior undergrad math and physics major.  i know some minimal c programming and i am looking to buy and learn one of the following math programs:  mathematica, maple, or mathcad.  i will be doing a lot of partial differential equations this summer because i am doing an independent study of the subject. i will also be taking mathematical physics my senior year.  does anyone have any suggestions, personal reviews, or input on these three programs? i think mathematica is the best for me. but this question is a question of opinion more than a question of fact. i like mathematica because i like the way it is. some of my friends use maple for their ph.d. physics classes, modern optics, namely. i used mathematica for a lot of things and it works for me. my friends are used to maple and they like maple more than mathematica.   if i were you, i would get demo versions of these programs and try each of them out. see which one you like the most and buy it.