User Guide

2.3 Commands
Maple contains a large set of commands and a powerful programming lan-
guage. Most Maple commands are written using the Maple programming
language.
You can enter commands using 1-D or 2-D Math. You must use 1-D Math
input when programming in Maple. Basic Programming (page 321) provides
an introduction to Maple programming.
To learn how to use Maple commands, use task templates. See Task Tem-
plates (page 51).
The Maple Library
Commands are contained in the Maple library, which is divided into two
groups: the top-level commands and packages.
• The top-level commands are the most frequently used Maple commands.
• Packages contain related specialized commands in areas such as student
calculus, linear algebra, vector calculus, and code generation.
For a complete list of packages and commands, refer to the index help pages.
To access the index overview help page, enter ?index, and then press Enter.
For information on the Maple Help System, see Getting Help (page 32).
Top-Level Commands
To use a top-level command, enter its name followed by parentheses (( ))
containing any parameters. This is referred to as a calling sequence for the
command.
command(arguments)
Note: In 1-D Math input, include a semicolon or colon at the end of the
calling sequence.
40 • 2 Worksheet Mode