OSU Physics Faqs : Mathematica : What is Mathematica?
Mathematica is a computer program designed by Stephen Wolfram (a former physicist, no less!) used in scientific computing, economics, medicine, and many other fields. It contains functions which allow a computer to perform a wide range of mathematical calculations from basic algebra and geometry though the calculus of variations and number theory. It has standard add on packages which allow the user to produce graphics, animations, and sound. There are also more exotic packages which are used for specific applications such as optics, fuzzy logic and wavelet analysis. More information is on the site
