|
professor:
Vincent G.J. Rodgers |
Textbooks :
Mathematica For Physics, by Robert Zimmerman and
Fredrick Olness
Addison Wesley 2002 (REQUIRED)
Course Description:
This is course is designed to provide undergraduates and graduate students with an introduction into computer algebra, symbolic manipulation and numerical analysis. The program that will be used is Mathematica throughout the course. The course will also familiarize the student with the LaTeX programming language. The course will uses symbolic manipulation to study linear systems, differential equations, point particle Lagrangian Mechanics, Classical Field Theories including Electrodynamics, General Relativity, the Dirac Equation and Yang-Mills Theories. The course will explore topics in Group Theory used by physicists such as the Lorentz Group. Because of the computational nature of the course, no prior knowledge of these specific areas is required.
Grading:
Homework: Problems and reading
assignments will be assigned weekly and posted on
ICON. Programs will be submitted through the
Dropbox on ICON and must run as stand alone programs
under Mathematica or LaTeX (when relevant) for full
credit. The weight of each assignment will vary
and posted on ICON. Homework will account for
100% of the final grade.
Class Grade Weights: Each assignment will be graded so that 50% will be considered just barely passing or the grade D work for that assignment.
A typical distributions of
grades will be:
100%-84% A's
84%-68% B's
68%-52% C's
52%-36% D's
below 36% F
General Policy: Attendance at lectures is
highly recommended. I typically will not lend my notes to
make up material due to absence. Any complaints about this
course should be addressed directly to me. If this does
not resolve matters then they can be handled by the
associate executive officer, Prof. Cornelia Lang