Math 426 – Introduction to Mathematical Software Packages: Matlab

Fall 2009 – Kyle Stern

Basic Information

  • Instructor: Kyle Stern
    Office: MP201
    Phone: (410) 455-3174 (emergencies only)
    E-mail: kstern1@umbc.edu
    Office Hours: Tu 11:00-12:00 or by appointment
    Instructor Web Page: www.math.umbc.edu/~kstern1
  • Time and location of classes: TuTh 7:10pm-8:25pm at ENGR122
  • Course Web Page: http://circ.umbc.edu/outreach/software-packages/math426fall09/ ‎
  • Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in Math 152, Math 221, CMSC 201, or instructor approval.
  • Recommended Textbook: Desmond J. Higham and Nicholas J. Higham, Matlab Guide, second edition, SIAM, 2005.
  • Grading policy: Your grade in this course will be mainly based on your performance in the computational/programming assignments which you will be doing in this course. You will do eight assignments, from which the best seven will be counted. In addition, 5% of your final course grade will be based on your active participation in lectures and in-class lab work.
    Letter grades for the course will be decided using the following:

    Score above 90% 80% 65% 50% otherwise
    Letter grade A B C D F

    Please note that the syllabus is subject to change by announcement.

Learning Goals

Upon completion of this class you should

  • be able to use Matlab’s extensive linear algebra capabilities,
  • be able to program in Matlab efficiently,
  • be aware of the flexible file I/O capabilities provided in Matlab,
  • know how to utilize the extensive 2D and 3D graphics capabilities in Matlab,
  • know how to use Matlab specific programming features such as logical subscripting and vectorization,
  • be aware of the great number of built-in numerical methods in Matlab.

List of the Topics Covered

This is an 8-week course. Each Tuesday will consist of a lecture, topics listed below. Thursday will be used to work on the homework assignment in class and ask questions if you need to.

Week (tentative) Main Topic(s) Chapter(s)
1 A Tutorial Introduction to Matlab 1, 2, 3
2 Matrix Algebra in Matlab 4, 5
3 An Introduction to Matlab Programming 6, 7
4 Matlab Programming: Input and Output 13
5 Intermediate Matlab Programming 10
6 3D Graphics in Matlab 8
7 Effective Programming and Data Types in Matlab
8 Numerical Methods in Matlab 11, 12
9 Make-up Lecture (if necessary) —

UMBC Academic Integrity Policy

By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC’s scholarly community in which everyone’s academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook, the UMBC Integrity webpagewww.umbc.edu/integrity, or the Graduate School website www.umbc.edu/gradschool.

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