Math 627 - Introduction to Parallel Computing
Fall 2006 - Matthias K. Gobbert
Section 0101 - Schedule Number 4190
This page can be reached via my homepage at
http://www.math.umbc.edu/~gobbert.
Presentations of the Class Projects
The presentations of the class projects will be held on
Tuesday, December 19, 2006 starting at 01:00 p.m. in MP 401.
Please follow the link to the Program
for the titles and abstracts.
Just like for seminar talks, everybody is welcome to attend!
Basic Information
- Matthias K. Gobbert,
Math/Psyc 416, (410) 455-2404, gobbert@math.umbc.edu,
office hours: TTh 11:30-12:30 or by appointment
- Classes: MP 401, TTh 01:00-02:15;
see the learning goals and
the detailed schedule for more information.
- Prerequisites: Math 630,
fluency in programming either C or Fortran and
proficiency in using the Unix/Linux operating system,
or instructor approval
- Copies of the following books are on reserve in the library.
- Grading policy:
Homework
| Participation
| Class Project
|
50%
| 5%
| 45%
|
In addition to these formally graded course components,
your professional behavior and active participation in all aspects
of the course are required.
- The homework includes the computer assignments that are
vital to understanding the course material
as well as the reports on the research papers.
A late assignment accrues a deduction of 5% of the possible score
for each day late until my receiving it;
I reserve the right to exclude any problem from scoring on late homework,
for instance, if we discuss it in class.
- The participation measures your active participation
in all aspects of the course, in particular for components of the
course that are not otherwise graded,
such as in class discussion and group work.
- It is increasingly important to learn how to work on a larger project
on your own (with guidance by the instructor) and to present your results
in the form of a professional-grade type-set report and
an oral class presentation. The class project will include all
these components: substantial work on an individual project;
a written report; and an oral class presentation.
Additional details or changes will be announced as necessary.
See also the
general policies and procedures
for more information.
Overview
In recent years, parallel computing has become an almost ubiquitous
way to perform computer simulations involving large amounts of data or
intensive calculations. The basic purpose of using several processors
is to speed up computations of large problems by distributing the
work. But large problems typically involve vast quantities of data
as well; by distributing the data across several processors, problems
of previously unsolvable size can now be tackled in reasonable time.
Only government agencies, national laboratories, and large corporations
could afford the first parallel machines. Due to the dramatic drop
in prices for personal computers (PCs) and their components,
parallel computing has become much more accessible in the form of
Beowulf clusters formed by connecting commodity PCs by dedicated networks.
The most common library of parallel computing instructions today for
any type of parallel machine architecture is the Message Passing
Interface (MPI). This course will provide interested students a basic
introduction to parallel computing using MPI on a distributed-memory
cluster of Linux PCs. Time permitting, we will present
several application examples that show how parallel computing can be
used to solve large application problems in practice.
Other Information
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.
Copyright © 2001-2006 by Matthias K. Gobbert. All Rights Reserved.
This page version 2.0, December 2006.