The Howdy Glossary

FORMAC, an acronym for FORMula MAnipulation Compiler, emerged in the late 1960s at the National Bureau of Standards (now NIST). It was engineered to perform symbolic algebraic manipulations crucial for solving mathematical problems, automating calculus calculations, working with matrices, and executing operations essential in scientific computing. Although its usage has dwindled today, FORMAC had a profound impact on the development of modern computer algebra systems like Mathematica and Maple.

The creation of FORMAC was spearheaded by a team including Robert S. Boyer, J Strother Moore, L. D. Harmon, Joel Moses, and Bruce Buchanan at the National Bureau of Standards. Their collaborative efforts culminated in a language that addressed mathematical challenges through symbolic manipulations and enhanced computational capabilities in mathematics and engineering fields. This innovation facilitated efficient handling of mathematical formulas and expressions by automating symbolic computations—streamlining processes critical to scientific research.

Standing out for its distinctive ability to automate complex calculus calculations and efficiently manipulate symbolic expressions within matrices and other operations essential to scientific computing, FORMAC differed from competitors like MACSYMA from MIT or systems such as REDUCE and Axiom by focusing specifically on these core functionalities. Despite competition from other languages aimed at similar mathematical problem-solving domains, FORMAC's pioneering approach significantly influenced subsequent development of powerful tools like Mathematica and Maple—solidifying its legacy within the realm of symbolic computation systems used by mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and researchers globally.