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MATH 344 (04747), Fall 2006

Numerical Methods for Civil and Mechanical Engineers

Catalog Description:

The fundamentals of numerical methods for civil and mechanical engineering students. Topics include: approximation and interpolation, numerical solution to equations, numerical differentiation and integration, numerical solutions to differential equations, solutions of systems of equations, and finding eigenvalues. The topics will be posed in a setting of problems intended for civil and mechanical engineering students using MATLAB.

Prerequisites:

MATH 340 and CE 220.

Instructor:

Martin J. Mohlenkamp, mohlenka@ohio.edu, (740)593-1259, 315-B Morton Hall.
Office hours: Monday 1-2pm, Tuesday 11am-12, Thursday 5-6pm, and Friday 11am-12.

Web page:

http://www.ohiouniversityfaculty.com/mohlenka/20071/344.

Class hours/ location:

MTuThF 10:10-11am in 314 Morton Hall.

Text:

Numerical Methods for Civil and Mechanical Engineers: Class Notes for MATH 344, Todd Young, 2005. Available at http://www.math.ohiou.edu/courses/math344.

Homework:

There will be weekly problem sets. These are group homeworks, to be done in groups of 2 or 3.

Good Problems:

On each problem set, one problem is designated a Good Problem. These problems will be graded both on content and on presentation. The idea is to practice writing mathematics regularly but in small pieces.

Tests:

There will be one mid-term test, in class, without the aid of the computer.

Final Exam:

The final exam is on Tuesday, November 21, at 8:00 am.

Grade:

The homework is worth 50%, the midterm 20% and the final exam 30%. An average of 90% guarantees you at least an A-, 80% a B-, 70% a C-, and 60% a D-.

Late work:

Late homework sets are penalized 5% for each 24 hour period or part thereof, excluding weekends and holidays. You can resubmit a homework set to improve your score, but the late penalty will apply.

Attendance:

Attendance is assumed but is not counted in your grade. It is your responsibility to find out any announcements made in class.

Academic Dishonesty:

If your group receives any help on the homework, you must acknowledge in writing what help you received and from whom. It is permitted to have a student who has already taken this course explain a homework problem to you; however, it is not permitted to look at their written work or programs. The test and final exam must be your own work, and without the aid of notes, etc. Dishonesty will result in a zero on that work, and possible failure in the class and a report to the university judiciaries.

Special Needs:

If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible so that your learning needs may be appropriately met.

Learning Resources:

Your classmates are your best resource. Use them!

The Academic Advancement Center's Math Center http://www.ohiou.edu/aac/math has drop-in help, tutors, online help, and a telephone hotline.

MATLAB: Ohio University Matlab Central; Local Matlab Quick Reference, Matlab Glossary, and Survival Guide; Official MATLAB Documentation; Random web Introduction to MATLAB, MATLAB Summary and Tutorial, and A Practical Introduction to MATLAB.

LaTeX: LaTeX help 1.1; A sample LaTeX file, samplelatex (.tex, .dvi, .ps, .pdf); A sample of latex with figures incorporated: latexfig.tex and the sample figure lfig.eps.

Schedule