Starting from scratch, this book aims to lead its reader to the mastery of Mathematica - the most popular "package" of symbolic algebra - not just as a program of "ready-made services" but also as a complete programming language.

At the same time, it seeks - through a wide variety of applications - to initiate them into a new and incomparably more efficient way to solve realistic problems and to "experimentally" explore mathematical ideas and patterns.

The organization of the material into relatively autonomous "workshops" or "sections" allows for a variety of uses of the book, covering both the needs of an initial introduction to the subject (Part A + selection of applications) and the needs of a more comprehensive presentation, which should then include Part D.

The book is primarily aimed at students of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Schools, but also at the professional scientist in the "field" who wishes to keep up with the times.