Welcome to the Home Page for Mathematics
427K-H for Spring 2010.
This has as a prerequisite a year of
calculus, although some students will have taken some vector caculus
and/or linear algebra. In the course we study differential equations
and systems of differential equations and their applications. We use
and develop as tools matrix algebra, elementary complex numbers and, of
course, lots of calculus. The graphics
obtainable using simple computer software, especially the matlab
programs dfield, pplane and ode45, give nice pictures and help
mathematicians understand the
conceptual link between matrix computations, differential equations and
simple applications, especially growth and decay of physical entities.
This gives many students an intuition as to what calculus is all
about.
Your Professor is Karen
Uhlenbeck. Her e-mail is
uhlen@math.utexas.edu. The
teaching assistant for the course is Su Chen. Her e-mail is
schen@math.utexas.edu She has office hours M-W 10-11
and F 2-3 in room RLM 9.116.
Office hours for professor Uhlenbeck are M:3-4, W 2:15-3:15 and Th
11:30-12:30. You are very much encouraged to make an
appointment or drop in if my office hours are not convenient for
you.The office number is RLM 9.160. Send an e-mail or call Lizbeth
Lynch at
471-6237 to make an appointment or leave a message.
The text for this course is different from the text being used in most
of the other sections of 427-K. It is
"Differential Equations with Boundary
Value Problems" (2nd edition) by
Polking, Bogess and Arnold. It
is cheaper than the usual text. A package with a new book,
solution manual and matlab manual is available at a few dollars over
the
cost of the book alone from the Co-op. Used versions are
available on-line for considerably less. It has been used as a text at
Rice University for a long time, hence there are used copies on the
market. You are not required to have the
solution manual or the matlab manual, although you might find them
useful.
We will cover most of Chapters 2-4,7-10 and parts of 11-13.
Detailed information about the course including a tentative syllabus
and grading policy will be available on the first day
handout..
Please
read this to be
sure you belong in this section of 427K and that you understand what is
expected of you in the course. It also contains information on how the
course is to be graded, the schedule for the homework and exams, etc.
Here is a synopsis of the
important
information: &1-This is an honors course. Students will be expected
to
do simple proofs. Grades are high, and the competition is stiff.
&2-Professor Uhlenbeck asks that each student come to
her office at least once before Spring Break for a brief discussion
(about the course, about math in
general, about the project and/or about life in general). &3- We
will be using standard
mathematical software. You can obtain an account in the
computer lab RLM 7.122. My understanding is that if you log in
with your UTEID the math system automatically allows you to get a math
account. There are proctors there who will help you. Of course, you can
do your homework anyhow and anywhere. This is for those of you,
like me, who are computer amateurs. Don't worry about the computer
aspect. I do all the computer homework, and if I can do it, you
can do it. Some of the software is available free from Polking's web
site at Rice University. &4- An important part of the course is the
project. Both project outlines and the
project grade sheet will be available to guide you.
Projects may be done in groups or two or
three individuals. If you do not wish to do a project
or use mathematical software to solve problems, it would be wise to
enroll in another section of 427K.
Here is the list of lectures, sections of
the book we are covering and exercises from the text (which are not to
be handed in). It will be updated weekly.
Assignments and date to be handed in:
Due Jan 27:
assignment 1
Due Feb 3:
assignment 2
'
Feb 2: Notes on
linearization
Due Feb 10:
assignment 3
Due Feb 24:
assignment 4
Due March 3:
assignment 5
Feb 25:
cheat sheet on ode45
Due March 10
assignment 6
Due March 24
assignment 7
Due March 31
assignment 8
March 31 2nd exam
April 9
first project submission and
project information
April 14
assignment
9
April 21
assignment 10
April 28
assignment 11
May 4 3rd exam