ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Computational mathematics

Computational mathematics is like playing with numbers and making them do magic! It's all about using computers to solve really big and complicated mathematical problems. Just like how you use a calculator to solve math problems, mathematicians use super powerful computers to solve math problems that are too complicated for humans to solve by hand.

They tell the computer what problem they want to solve, and in what way they want it solved. Then the computer uses complex algorithms - a set of instructions - to calculate the answer. These algorithms are like recipes that tell the computer exactly what steps to take to solve the problem.

Computational mathematics is used in many fields, like finance, physics, engineering, and more. It helps us make predictions, create simulations, and understand complex systems better. Without it, certain types of research and problem-solving tasks would be impossible. So, in short, computational mathematics is really cool and useful!