This Scientific Computing course will provide an introduction to the use of computers in solving problems arising in the physical, biological, and engineering sciences.

Various computational approaches commonly used to solve mathematical problems (including systems of linear equations, optimization, curve fitting, integration, and differential equations) will be presented.  Both the theory and application of each numerical method will be demonstrated.

You should gain mathematical judgment in selecting tools to solve scientific problems through in-class examples and programming homework assignments.

MATLAB will be used as the primary environment for numerical computation.  No previous coding experience is required; an overview of MATLAB’s syntax, code structure, and algorithms will be given.

Although the subject matter of scientific computing has many aspects that can be made rather difficult, the material in this course is meant to be an introduction and will therefore be presented in as simple a way as possible.  Theoretical aspects will be mentioned throughout the course, but more complicated issues such as rigorous proofs will not be presented.  Applications will be emphasized.

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