Problem solver

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 24

Problem solver

TKlSolver, an equationsolving program from the United States, is now available in New Zealand.

Introduced in 1982 by Software Arts, creator of the VisiCalc personal computer program, TKlSolver is an interactive personal computer program that solves business, science, engineering and educational problems without programming.

The power of the TKlSolver program comes from the ease with which the personal computer user can set up problems, vary assumptions, find solutions and display results. All the facilities needed to solve the problems are built-in, and need not be developed by the user.

“What VisiCalc did for business analysis and forecasting, the TKlSolver program does for mathematical problem-solving in a variety of technical and educational fields,” said Mr Daniel Bricklin, chairman of the board of Software Arts. Engineers and scientists typically use either programmable calculators or custom computer programs to solve the common, everyday problems they encounter in their work. With the TKlSolver program, professionals can use desk-top computers to solve problems involving even the most complicated equations. All the novice or expert computer user needs to do is enter the equations defining the problem, type in the

known values, press the action key (“I”), and the unknown values are found. Mr Seth Steinberg, a software engineer of Software Arts, designed the TKlSolver program from concepts originated by Professor Milos Konopasek, of North Carolina State University, a consultant to Software Arts. Mr Steinberg describes the program as a “utilisation of ideas from the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence.” Software Arts also produces TKISATN, a support publication for TKlSolver users patterned after SATN, Software Art’s support journal for VisiCalc users. TKISATN contains useful hints, tips and tutorials