Numerical Methods I

Syllabus PrairieLearn Discord

Course Description

Fundamentals of numerical methods for students in science and engineering; floating-point computation, systems of linear equations, approximation of functions and integrals, the single nonlinear equation, and the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations; various applications in science and engineering; programming exercises and use of high quality mathematical library routines. Course Information: Same as MATH 357. Credit is not given for CS 357 if credit for CS 450 has been earned. (Counts for advanced hours in LAS). Prerequisite: A 100-level computer science course; MATH 257; MATH 241.

Learning objectives

Students should be able to:

  1. Analyze the sources of errors in mathematical operations on the computer
  2. Recognize major numerical methods and their merits and pitfalls
  3. Calculate the computational cost of a range of numerical methods
  4. Select and use software tools, based on their numerical methods, for a range of problems
  5. Estimate the accuracy in approximated numerical solutions
  6. Work in small groups on open ended problems

Course format

Flipped classroom: Students complete weekly pre-lecture assignments and corresponding homework sets asynchronously. The course is offered in two modalities (sections): in-person and online. The only difference between the sections is how students complete the “in-class” activities. In the in-person section, students attend class during lecture time and work in teams on computer-based activities. In the online section, students complete the same activities asynchronously (but on the same day as the in-person students), still in groups, with no attendance requirement. Students are allowed to switch sections during the first two weeks of the semester to choose the format that best suits their learning style or personal preferences. The “in-class” assignments consist of Group Activities (GAs) delivered through PrairieLearn. Students work in teams of 2-3 to complete the GAs. For more details, see the Group Activities page.

Bi-weekly quizzes: Students complete six 50-minutes quizzes at the Computer-Based Testing Facility. There is no option for online quizzes. For more details, see the Quizzes page.

Course support: We offer support both online via Discord and in-person at the Siebel Basement. Check the schedule for office hours and find instructions on how to use Discord on our Support page.

Meet the Course Staff