Description from project: This course was a special section of Math 256, taught as part of Mech 221, a first term course in Mechanical Engineering that combines 5 subjects (Math, Mech Eng, EE, Solid Mech and Materials) in one class. The course is a typical second year engineering DE course at UBC with a few differences: it does not include any discussion of Laplace Transforms, but includes several weeks on numerical methods - approximate integration and differentiation, review of Taylor Polynomial approximation then on to interpolation, numerical methods for time stepping including forward (explicit) Euler and RK methods.
The course included seven two-hour computer labs done in MATLAB. An investigation and improvement of the labs was a CWSEI project in 2008-2009.
Course Overview
Linear ordinary differential equations, Laplace transforms, Fourier series and separation of variables for linear partial differential equations. Tutorial session focuses on examples from chemical and biological engineering. Equivalency: MECH 221.
Topics
- Numerical methods
- 5-minute math breaks
- Overview of computer labs
- General comments on homework
- Suggested weekly problems
Resources Available
Contributed by Brian Wetton and Costanza Piccolo from the 2009 version of the course: