INSTALL.txt

INSTALLATION:
=============

Requirements:
-------------

The following packages are required:

* Python programming language versions 2.6 or 2.7 (not 3.x)
* NumPy numerical library
* Matplotlib plotting package 
* Sympy symbolic computation package

The following packages are recommended:

* SciPy Python scientific library
* Cython if you want to compile the code yourself 

Downloading and installation:
-----------------------------

Download Pacal at SourceForge. If you are a Windows user, get the provided Windows installer. Otherwise get the tar.gz file, unpack it and type

  python setup.py install

just as with any other Python package.

USING PaCal:
============

To start using the package, run Python and type

from pacal import *
N = NormalDistr()
N.plot()
show()
N.cdf(0)          # should produce 0.5
N.summary()       # prints summary: mean, variance, etc.


You can compute with probability distributions just as with standard variables (independence is always assumed):

C = N / N         # Cauchy distribution
C.summary()
L = N*N + N*N     # Laplace distribution
L.plot()
show()


Many more examples are available with the package in the examples/ directory.