I-GNU Octave iwulimi olusezingeni eliphezulu, ngokuyinhloko oluhloselwe ukubala izinombolo. Inikeza isixhumi esibonakalayo somugqa womyalo esilula sokuxazulula izinkinga eziwumugqa nezingaqondile ngezinombolo, kanye nokwenza ezinye izivivinyo zezinombolo kusetshenziswa ulimi oluhambisana kakhulu neMatlab. Ingase futhi isetshenziswe njengolimi oluqondiswe kwiqoqo.

I-Octave inamathuluzi abanzi okuxazulula izinkinga ze-algebra yomugqa wezinombolo ezivamile, ukuthola izimpande zezibalo ezingezona umugqa, ukuhlanganisa imisebenzi evamile, ukukhohlisa ama-polynomials, nokuhlanganisa izilinganiso ezijwayelekile zokuhlukanisa nokuhluka kwe-algebra. Kunwebeka kalula futhi kwenziwe ngendlela oyifisayo ngemisebenzi echazwe ngumsebenzisi ebhalwe ngolimi luka-Octave, noma kusetshenziswa amamojula alayishwe ngamandla abhalwe ngo-C++, C, Fortran, noma ezinye izilimi.