The primary domain of REDUCE is the solution of large scale formal problems in mathematics, science and engineering. REDUCE offers a number of powerful operators which often give an immediate answer to a given problem, e.g. solving a linear equation system or computing a determinant (with symbolic entries, of course). More typical however are relatively complicated applications where only the combination of several evaluation steps leads to the desired result. Consequently the development of REDUCE primarily is oriented towards a collection of powerful tools, which enable problem solving by combination.
In some cases even complete new algorithmic bases will be required for problem solving. REDUCE supports this by various interfaces to all levels of symbolic evaluation, and the modules of REDUCE and of the REDUCE Network Library demonstrate by example how this technique is to be used.