Lest the very first thing you read in this manual be an integral equation, let us hasten to say that the purpose of Vensim is to help solve problems that would be hard to address mathematically without the aid of simulation. To a very large extent, the Vensim environment will insulate you from both the underlying mathematics and the details of the language specification. The graphical creation of models using the Sketch and Equation Editors allows you to build and use models without worrying too much about how the Vensim modeling language works or what the underlying mathematics are. Still, there comes a time in every modeler's career when there is a strong need to delve a little deeper.
