Numerical Analysis / Numerical Methods

Math 446 / OR 481 Section 001

TR 3:00 - 4:15

Instructor: Tim Sauer Office: 233 ST1 Hours: TR 4:20 - 5:50pm Phone: 703 993-1471 Email: tsauer@gmu.edu Web Page: http://math.gmu.edu/~tsauer

Prerequisites: MATH 203 and CS 112

Text: Numerical Analysis, by T. Sauer, Addison Wesley 2006

Text Website: Useful Matlab files are available at http://www.aw-bc.com/sauer

Grading: Three hour exams and a final exam will account for 60% of the final grade; the remainder will depend on homework projects to be handed in.

Grades in the course will be based on your INDIVIDUAL effort on the exams and projects. Discussion of course topics with others is helpful and encouraged; however, all work toward the solution of homework projects submitted for credit, including computer code and written summaries, must be done SOLELY by you.

Course Goals: Design and implementation of algorithms for the solution of scientific and engineering problems. Emphasis will be placed on the written and graphical presentation of solutions.

Course Content: The course will cover the following topics

• Floating point arithmetic
• The solution of nonlinear equations in one variable
• The solution of systems of linear equations
• The solution of nonlinear systems
• Interpolation and polynomial approximation
• Curve-fitting; cubic and Bezier splines
• Least squares problems

Test Dates:

• Test 1 : Thurs., Sept. 24
• Test 2 : Thurs., Oct. 29
• Test 3 : Thurs., Dec. 3
• Final Exam :   Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 1:30 - 4:15

Computers: The software package Matlab will be used for analysis and presentation of data. Matlab is a computing environment with programming capability, good graphics, and powerful library functions. It is available on campus in the computer labs. Alternatively, a PC version can be purchased. Matlab tutorials can be found readily on the internet. There is a pretty good one at Mathworks, and another one in the textbook's appendix.

There are computer Labs in Innovation Hall, the Johnson Center, and the Field House. For hours of operation of these labs and other locations see Academic Computing Labs Page

Honor Code: The University Honor Code is to be followed. Sharing information of any kind about exams or Matlab assignments will result in a grade of zero. Any violations will be submitted to the University Honor Committee.