>>Well, you are welcome.
>>
>>BTW, I find it interesting that there are relatively few questions related to algebraic transformations, and algorithms in general.
>
>When I studied (somewhat computing-oriented) maths in late seventies, the numerical stuff was all the hype... because it was still being developed, and the programming languages haven't been too good with strings.
>
>Nowadays almost all the numerics we need is in the rocessor or the compiler already, and then... check your tables, and how many fields there are ever involved in any algebraic computations. I bet about 90% are strings, logicals and dates, and the numbers are mostly integers.
>
>Computers, nowadays, are mostly dealing with text, graphics and sounds. Maybe only the games and 3d grahics really employ the floating point processor.

Yes, and the mathematical capabilities of virtually all programming language (and spreadsheets) go beyond the wildest dreams - and needs - of most people. I benefited from using calculations with complex numbers in Excel, for a subject "Electronic Circuit Analysis and Design" - but most people won't ever need complex numbers, for example.

Hilmar.