# Getting Started This getting started describes how to install, load, and use math.js. ## Install Math.js can be installed using various package managers like [npm](https://npmjs.org/) and [bower](http://twitter.github.io/bower/), or by just downloading the library. To install via npm, run: npm install mathjs Or download math.js from the website: [http://mathjs.org/download.html](http://mathjs.org/download.html). ## Load Math.js can be used in node.js and in the browser. The library must be loaded and instantiated. When creating an instance, one can optionally provide configuration options as described in [Configuration](configuration.md). ### Node.js Load math.js in [node.js](http://nodejs.org/): ```js // load math.js var math = require('mathjs'); // use math.js math.sqrt(-4); // 2i ``` ### Browser Math.js can be loaded as a regular javascript file in the browser: ```html ``` If support for old browsers (Internet Explorer 8 and older) is required, the [es5-shim](https://github.com/kriskowal/es5-shim) library must be loaded as well. ### Require.js Load math.js in the browser using [require.js](http://requirejs.org/): ```js require.config({ paths: { mathjs: 'path/to/mathjs', } }); require(['mathjs'], function (math) { // use math.js math.sqrt(-4); // 2i }); ``` ## Use Math.js can be used similar to JavaScript's built-in Math library. Besides that, math.js can evaluate expressions (see [Expressions](expressions.md)) and supports chained operations (see [Chained operations](chained_operations.md)). The example code below shows how to use math.js. More examples can be found in the [examples directory](https://github.com/josdejong/mathjs/tree/master/examples/). ```js // functions and constants math.round(math.e, 3); // 2.718 math.atan2(3, -3) / math.pi; // 0.75 math.log(1000, 10); // 3 math.sqrt(-4); // 2i math.pow([[-1, 2], [3, 1]], 2); // [[7, 0], [0, 7]] // expressions math.eval('12 / (2.3 + 0.7)'); // 4 math.eval('5.08 cm to inch'); // 2 inch math.eval('sin(45 deg) ^ 2'); // 0.5 math.eval('9 / 3 + 2i'); // 3 + 2i math.eval('det([-1, 2; 3, 1])'); // -7 // chained operations math.select(3) .add(4) .multiply(2) .done(); // 14 ``` ## Next To learn more about math.js, check out the available documentation and examples: - [Documentation](index.md) - [Examples](https://github.com/josdejong/mathjs/blob/master/examples/)