MATH 348 (53605):  Scientific Computing in Numerical Analysis


General Information

Instructor: Irene M. Gamba (gamba@math.utexas.edu) 471-7150

Office hrs: RLM 10.166, W 2:00-3:00pm,

Lecture Room: NOA 1.102,  T-TH 12:30 – 2:00pm,

 

TA: Jose Morales-Escalante (mescalante@math.utexas.edu),

 

Office hrs:  RLM 9.166, Tuesdays 5-6:30pm



Required text: Numerical Analysis by Burden, Faires and Burden(10th Edition) or Numerical Analysis by Burden and Faires (9th edition), both by Brooks & Cole - Cengage Learning.

Optional texts:  1-
An introduction to C++ and numerical methods, by Ortega and Grimshaw (Oxford, 1999), and/or

                           2- Guide to Scientific Computing in C++, by Pitt-Francis and Whiteley, Undergraduate topics in CS, Springer.

Course webpage: http://www.ma.utexas.edu/users/gamba/S16/S16-m348.html

Description

This course covers a variety of topics in the theory and application of numerical methods and provides practice in computer programming. The main topics include computer arithmetic, nonlinear algebraic equations, polynomial interpolation, numerical differentiation and integration, initial-value problems for ordinary differential equations, and direct methods for systems of linear algebraic equations. The objective is to prepare students for advanced studies in all areas of computational science and engineering. Emphasis will be placed on concepts and algorithms rather than proofs.

Prerequisites: M408D; M341 or M340L; CS303E or CS307 or equivalent exposure to basic programming; all with a grade of at least C-.

Policies

Homeworks: Homework sets will be assigned weekly or biweekly throughout the semester and will contain a mix of analytical and programming problems. It is acceptable for students to help each other with the homework sets; however, each student must write up and submit their own work. Both commented source code and sample output should be submitted with programming assignments. Computers can be found in the Undergraduate Computer Lab, RLM 7.122.

Programming: Computer programming will be a required part of the course, and the official language will be C++. No prior experience with C++ is necessary. Students will be introduced to the language through various assignments from the C++ text, sample programs, and online resources. The C++ text will be used for self-study; it will not be discussed in class.

Exams: There will be two midterm exams and a final exam. The tentative dates are

Midterm Exam 1 (Tuesday Feb 23),

Midterm Exam 2 ( NEW DATE  Tuesday May 3),

Final Exam (Friday May 13,  9am).

The two midterm exams will given in-class. The final exam will be given at the date, time and place scheduled by the University.  Save these two dates. No make-up midterms will be given.

Course grading policy:

100 points Homework
200 points Midterms (2)
200 points Final (Comprehensive)

In the computation of the homework average, one homework grade (lowest) will be dropped.

If your cumulative grade from the midterms and homework is below 170 pts, you must take the final exam. Above 170 points you may wish to take the final, depending on your grade.
The grade distribution above 170 points is

above 250 A grade
from 240-249 A-  grade
from 225-239 B+  grade
from 200-225 B   grade
from 190-199 B-  grade
from 180-190 C+  grade
from 170-180 C   grade

The final exam score will be added up to your accumulated grade from the midterms and homework. In this case the grade distribution is

above 375         A   grade
from 365-374    A-  grade
from 355-364    B+  grade
from 315-364    B   grade
from 305-314    B-  grade
from 295-304    C+  grade
from 265-294    C   grade
from 255-264    C-  grade
from 245-254    D+  grade
from 225-244    D   grade
below 225         F   grade

Exam policy: Books are not permitted during quizzes, midterms, and the final exam. A valid photo ID must be available to be checked at all exams. Make-up exams will not be given so please remember the appropriate exam dates. In extraordinary circumstances ONLY, the final exam score will compensate for a missing midterm exam. This includes illness, observance of a religious holiday, or a university-related absence (e.g., away game) with 2 weeks advance notice. Proper documentation (such as a doctor's note) is required in all cases.

Students with disabilities: The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.

Tentative schedule

The following is a tentative schedule for the core topics of the course. Please be aware that material may be reordered, added or deleted.

 

1. Computer arithmetic (1 week)

·       Machine numbers

·       Round-off errors

·       Accumulation of errors


2. Equations in one variable (2 weeks)

·       Bisection method

·       Fixed-point iteration

·       Newton and related methods


3. Interpolation and polynomial approximation (2 weeks)

·       Lagrange polynomials

·       Hermite polynomials

·       Piecewise cubic interpolation


4. Numerical differentiation and integration (3 weeks)

·       Multi-point differencing

·       Richardson extrapolation

·       Newton-Cotes quadrature

·       Gauss quadrature

·       Multi-dimensional problems


5. Initial-value problems for ordinary differential equations (3 weeks)

·       Euler and Taylor methods

·       Runge-Kutta methods

·       Multi-step methods

·       A-Stability and Stiffness


6. Direct methods for solving linear systems (3 weeks)

·       Gaussian elimination and LU factorization

·       Stability and condition number

·       Pivoting strategies

·       Choleski and Crout algorithms