Math 341: Computational Methods
Spring 2008
MWF 10:00 - 11:50, MP 103
Instructor:
Andrei Draganescu
Office: MP420
Phone: 410-455-3237
Email: draga@math.umbc.edu
Website: http://www.math.umbc.edu/~draga/courses/2008/Spr/math341
Office hours:
MW 4:30 - 5:30 pm, or by appointment.
Prerequisites:
MATH 142 or 152, 221; CMSC 201 is recommended.
Text:
Numerical Mathematics, by Grasselli and Pelinovsky,
Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 2008.
Course objectives:
The goal of this course
is to provide students
with the basic background and methods in numerical analysis. The
focus will be on the
mechanisms lying at the basis of method design and error analysis.
Topics include direct and iterative methods for linear systems of equations,
algorithms for solving nonlinear equations,
function approximation and interpolation, numerical differentiation and integration,
and numerical solution of ordinary differential equations.
Practical illustration of the methods will be done using Matlab.
Schedule:
A tentative schedule will be posted here,
and will be continously updated.
Homework and tests:
- Homework is an essential part of this
course. Experience has shown a strong correlation between homework
grades and overall course performance. Assignments
will usually be due every Monday at the beginning of
class. Late assignments will not be accepted under any
circumstances. All assignments will receive a grade on a 0-10
scale, and will carry equal weight in the final homework grade, with
the lowest two scores being dropped. For each assignment only a
selected set of problems will be graded; however, the grader will
verify that all problems were attempted. It is encouraged to discuss
homework problems with colleagues, but the submitted write-up should
be the result of individual work only.
- There will be two in-class tests. The tests are scheduled for
2/29 (Test 1) and 4/11 (Test 2).
No make-up test will be given except
possibly in the event of a serious emergency, case in which
the student may be asked to show appropriate
documentation.
- The final exam will be cumulative. It will be given on the official date
of 5/19, between 10:30 - 12:30.
Grading policy:
Homework - 15%,
Test 1 - 25%,
Test 2 - 25%,
Final Exam - 35%
| Score above |
90% |
80% |
65% |
50 % |
otherwise |
| Letter grade |
A |
B |
C |
D |
F |
UMBC Academic Integrity Policy:
By enrolling in this course,
each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in
UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and
behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating,
fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are
all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic
misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but
is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student
Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the
Faculty Handbook, the UMBC Integrity webpage www.umbc.edu/integrity,
or the Graduate School website www.umbc.edu/gradschool.
Andrei Draganescu,
February 7, 2008