Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why Use MathCAD?
A. The author of these sheets has used MathCAD for structural engineering calculations since 1996, and provides these features:
- MathCAD lets you see the actual equations or relations instead of being buried in spread sheet cells.
- MathCAD supports most unit systems and the user can define his or her own units if needed, e.g. kcf= kip/ft3
- MathCAD sheets are much easier to debug compared to spreadsheets.
- MathCAD permits parallel calculations for similar designs
- MathCAD supports programming and has many useful numerical methods and much more
- MathCAD supports 3D function and surface plots.
Q. What MathCAD Familiarity Do I Need?
A. The user is assumed to have a good working knowledge of MathCAD.
Q. Can I Use MathCAD Prime?
A. MathCAD Prime is not supported. All sheets are provided in MathCAD 15. Licensed users of MathCAD Prime may obtain MathCAD 15 from PTC at no charge.