Course Information - Math 450: Numerical
Analysis - Section 01, Fall 2014
4 Credits: MTRF 1:00-1:50p.m.
Bridges Room 264
Textbook: Numerical Analysis, 9th ed., by J. Douglas Faires.
Thomson, Brooks/Cole
Instructor: Justin
James, Mathematics Dept. Office: MacLean
375M
Office Phone: 477-4011
Office Hours: MTWRF
9:00 – 10:50am Email: jamesju@mnstate.edu
MTWRF 2:00 – 2:50pm Webpage: web.mnstate.edu/jamesju
Other
times by Appointment
Course Description: Numerical
solutions to systems of equations and differential equations, finite
differences, interpolation formulas, numerical calculus, and approximating
functions.
Prerequisites: In
order to take Math 143, students must have successfully completed MATH 310: Discrete
Mathematics, MATH 323: Multi-Variable and Vector Calculus, AND CSIS 152 -
Introduction to Computers and Programming Ia.
Major Content Areas:
·
Rounding methods, absolute and relative
error, the definition of an algorithm.
·
Methods for approximating roots of
functions, error analysis and rates of convergence for these methods.
·
Interpolation and approximation of
functions (including finite difference methods), error analysis for these
methods.
·
Numerical differentiation and numerical
integration techniques, error analysis for these methods.
·
Approximating solutions to initial
value problems, the definition of a well-posed problem, error
analysis for these methods.
Student Learning Outcomes:
·
Use numerical methods to find
approximate solutions to a variety of real world problems.
·
Understand the importance of verifying
necessary hypotheses when using numerical methods to solve problems.
·
Understand the importance of error
analysis and be able to use error analysis to find a reasonable upper bound on
the error when using numerical methods to solve problems.
·
Develop multiple methods to solve the
same type of problem and understand how to choose an appropriate method to use
in a specific application.
Instructional
Strategies: Lecture, discussion, small group work.
Course Requirements:
You are expected to complete all daily
homework and writing assignments, and to take and pass all exams and quizzes at
their scheduled dates and times.
Attendance and
Academic Expectations: You are expected
to attend class regularly and on time. The penalty for unexcused absences is that missed assignments cannot be made up. You are expected to read the assigned material
in your textbook prior to each lecture and to attempt the problems on the homework
assignment. When working in groups, you
should participate fully in what the group is trying to accomplish. You should bring your book, calculator, and solutions
to recent homework problems with you to class.
Homework: I will collect homework for grading several times during the semester. You will be told in advance which problems to
write up and turn in. You are encouraged
to discuss homework with your classmates and with me outside of class during my
office hours.
If my office hours do not match your schedule, see me about arranging
another time to meet.
Some homework problems will require the use of a calculator or a
computer. When using a calculator, make
sure the method you used is clear. When
using a computer, include a printout of the code and its output or the Maple worksheet
that you used. In general, using a computer application for computations is
preferred to using a calculator.
Quizzes: I will give quizzes at various times during the
course. I will typically announce
quizzes at least one day before I give them so you have some time to prepare. Quizzes will be worth from 5-10 points, depending
on their length and scope.
Extra
Credit: There may be a few extra
credit assignments during the semester (don’t count on more than a
handful). Some will be announced on the
course website while others will be given in class. All extra credit will be offered to the
entire class and must be handed in by the required due date. There will be no individual extra credit
assignments.
Programming and Computational Assignments: Since the main
emphasis of this course is learning to understand and apply numerical methods,
there will be several programming and computational assignments during the
semester (approximately two per chapter).
Some will involve you writing a program to implement an algorithm and
then using the algorithm on a given set of data. Others will involve using or modifying an
existing algorithm or using a Maple worksheet to carry out computations.
Exams: This course will have four in-class
exams and a comprehensive final exam,
as outlined on the course syllabus. Be
sure to mark the date of each exam on your calendar, especially the final
exam. The credit given on exam questions
will be proportional to the amount of correct work shown. Little to no credit will be given if sufficient
work is not shown, even when the final answer is correct. In your final grade, your best three in-class
exams will be worth 100 points each, while your lowest exam will be scaled in
half to be out of 50 points. The final
exam is worth 200 points.
Presentations: Each student will be expected to contribute as part of an in class group
presentation this semester. Your
presentation will contribute 50 points toward your final grade. I will give you more details about these
presentations later in the semester.
Course Grading
Policy: Your final grade
in the course will be computed as follows:
Homework/Quizzes 125 points
Programming/Computational Assignments 125
points
Highest 3 Unit Exams: 300 points
Lowest Unit Exam: 50 points
Presentation: 50 points
Final Exam: 200
points
Total: 850 points
I will compute the percentage of the total possible points each student
earned during the semester (rounded to the nearest .1%), and will then assign
letter grades based on the following scale:
96.5-100.0% A+ 81.5-86.4% B 69.0-71.4% C–
91.5-96.5% A 79.0-81.4% B– 66.0-68.9% D+
89.0-91.4% A– 76.5-78.9% C+ 60.0-65.9% D
86.5-88.9% B+ 71.5-76.4% C <60.0% F
Make-up Work: Because
you are allowed to drop a few scores in each daily work grade category, I only
allow make-up assignments for extreme personal emergencies or
for absences that are officially sanctioned by the University. I
will expect written documentation in either of these cases. If you
miss an exam and a make-up exam is not warranted, you may replace your grade on one missed
exam with your un-scaled percentage score on the final exam.
Special
Accommodations: Students with disabilities who believe
they may need an accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact Greg Toutges,
Director of Disability Services at 477-4318 (Voice) or 1-800-627-3529
(MRS/TTY), Flora Frick 154 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations
are implemented in a timely fashion. Information regarding Disability
Services is available at http://web.mnstate.edu/disability/
Academic Honesty: You
are expected to do your own work. You may work with others and get help
on assignments, but the final work you submit must be your own. During
exams and quizzes you will not be allowed to get help from
others. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated in any course at
any level. See the MSUM Academic Honesty policy for more information on
the possible consequences of cheating.
Thanks, and Let’s
Have a Great Summer!!
Math 450 – Section 01 Course Page