Fall Term 2011 9:50 MWF Mr. Gregg
Math 400 is an introductory course in Partial Differential Equations. In this course we will be studying core material covering important linear partial differential equations. Among the major solution method we will study are Fourier Series, Green's Functions, and the Finite Element method.
Part of this course will involve implementing mathematical algorithms in Mathematica. I will be providing supplementary materials covering Mathematica for those of you who have not had experience with Mathematica.
How this Course is Structured
We will meet three times a week for lectures. I will assign weekly homework sets.
We will have two midterm exams and a final exam.
Assignments and exams have the following weights:
Problem sets - 40% Midterm exams - 15% each Final exam - 30%
Late policy for problem sets is that problem sets may be turned in one class meeting after the initial due date for a 10% penalty. If you turn in a portion of a problem set on time and the remainder late, the 10% penalty will only apply to those problems you submitted late. I will waive the 10% penalty if you have a valid excuse such as illness; however, you must contact me before the initial due date to ask for an extension.
Our text is Partial Differential Equations: Analytical and Numerical Methods, Second Edition by Mark S. Gockenbach.
Office Hours
My office hours this term are 1:30-3:45 TTh and 1:50-3:45 MWF. You are welcome to stop in at other times as well, but please call or email first to make sure that I will be in. My office is Briggs 413. My extension is 6736 and my email address is greggj@lawrence.edu.
The course web site is at http://www.lawrence.edu/fast/greggj/math400.html.
| Week | Topic | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction, Essential Linear Algebra | 3 |
| 2, 3 | Boundary Value Problems | 5 |
| 4, 5 | Heat Flow and Diffusion | 6 |
| 6, 7 | Waves | 7 |
| 7 | Method of Characteristics | 8 |
| 8 | Green's Functions | 9 |
| 9, 10 | Problems in Multiple Spatial Dimensions | 11 |