AMath 242 / CS 371 – Spring 2014: Course Outline
Introduction to Computational Mathematics
Instructor: R. Mark Prosser DC2302B mark.prosser@uwaterloo.ca Office Hours: M 10-11
Lectures:
MWF 8:30-9:20 MC1056
Teaching Assistants: Chuan Guo
DC3332
c3guo@uwaterloo.ca
Victor Xu
DC 2537
z47xu@uwaterloo.ca
William Xu
MC 6432
c2xu@uwaterloo.ca
Course Web Site: http://www.student.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~cs371
Course Schedule
The following is a tentative schedule for the term.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
May 5
May 7
May 9
May 12
May 14
May 16
May 19
May 21
May 23
May 26
May 28
May 30
June 2
June 4
June 6
June 9
June 11
June 13
June 16
June 18
June 20
June 23
June 25
June 27
June 30
July 2
July 4
July 7
July 9
July 11
July 14
July 16
July 18
July 21
July 23
July 25
July 28
July 30
Floating Point
Floating Point
Floating Point
Interpolation
Interpolation
Interpolation
Victoria Day
Interpolation
Interpolation
Interpolation
Interpolation
Numerical Integration
Numerical Integration
Numerical Integration
Numerical Integration
Numerical Integration
Numerical Integration
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Review
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Holiday
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Discrete Fourier Transforms
Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Linear Algebra
Review
Matlab Tutorial: Tuesday May 13, 5:30-7:30pm
Assignment 1 due May 27
Assignment 2 due June 17
Midterm: June 26, 7-9pm, DC 1350
Assignment 3 due July 15
Assignment 4 due July 29
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• Course Objectives
This course is intended as an introduction to the computational methods and issues encountered when
solving realistic examples in scientific computation.
• Course Description
A rigorous introduction to the field of computational mathematics. The focus is on the interplay
between continuous models and their solution via discrete processes. Topics include: pitfalls in computation, solution of linear systems, interpolation, discrete Fourier transforms and numerical integration.
Applications are used as motivation.
• Sources of Information
Class lectures will serve as the main source of information for the course content. Details of some of
the more mathematical material is available in the form of typeset course notes, which are on sale in
the MC copy center. However, the course notes will not necessarily reflect all of the material presented
in the lectures. It is therefore imperative that you attend the lectures and take notes. Also, the
course notes may contain other (optional) material not covered in lectures. Optional texts: Numerical
Computing with Matlab by Moler and Numerical Analysis by Sauer (available at the DC Library).
Piazza will be used for announcements and course-related discussions. Students must sign-up and
monitor the course on Piazza in order to stay current with the latest course information. The signup
link is piazza.com/uwaterloo.ca/summer2014/amath242cs371.
UW Learn will be used to distribute course material and post assignment and midterm marks. The
link is learn.uwaterloo.ca.
• Intended Audience
This course is intended for students interested in the computational aspects that one would encounter
in solving various mathematical and scientific problems. Students are expected to be interested in
both mathematics and computer science. Students are expected to have background in high-level
programming, basic understanding of data structures, algorithms, and computer organization, and
foundational knowledge in calculus and linear algebra.
• Related Courses
Prerequisites: CS 116/136/146, MATH 235/245, 237/247
Antirequisites: CS 335, 370
Successors: CS 473, 475, 476, 488, AMATH 342, 442
• Course Grade.
– Assignments 30%
– Midterm Exam 30%
– Final Exam 40%
There will be four marked assignments, each weighted equally. Students must pass the exam component
in order to pass the course (that is, you must obtain a mark of at least 35 out of 70 on the total of the
midterm and final marks to pass the course). Otherwise, the final mark in the course will be the exam
component grade.
If a student is unable to write the midterm exam for legitimate reasons, it is the student’s responsibility
to provide supporting documentation to the instructor as soon as possible. If accepted, the final exam
will be weighted at 70% of the final mark. If a student is unable to complete an assignment on time
for legitimate reasons, it is the student’s responsibility to provide supporting documentation to the
instructor as soon as possible. If accepted, the weight of the assignment will be shifted to the other
assignments.
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• Matlab
Students are expected to become proficient in Matlab. Matlab material can be found on the course
web page, and there are many sources of Matlab information on the Web. The first assignment requires
basic Matlab programming. The best way to learn Matlab is to start the assignments early, and see the
TAs if you have problems. A Matlab tutorial will be held outside of lectures before the first assignment
is due.
• Assignments and Late Policy
Assignments will be posted on UW Learn. Please follow the submission instructions on each assignment.
Assignments are to be submitted via the assignment boxes on the fourth floor of MC (unless otherwise
stated on the assignment).
Late assignments will be accepted up to 6 days after the assignment deadline with a penalty of 15% per
day. Late assignments should be submitted to one of the TAs responsible for the assignment, or to the
assignment box. If submitting late via the assignment box, you must email one of the TAs responsible
to let them know and confirm the time of submission.
Marked assignments will be handed back after lectures or during office hours, and marks will be posted
on UW Learn. Please notify course staff immediately if you believe the mark was recorded incorrectly.
Students who wish to dispute an assignment or midterm grade should see the person who marked the
particular question in dispute (this information will be made available after the assignment or midterm
has been returned). After that point they may discuss it further with the instructor, if necessary.
The recorded marks are regarded as final two weeks after the assignments are returned.
Unclaimed assignments will be retained for one month after term grades become official in quest. After
that time, they will be destroyed in compliance with UW’s confidential shredding procedures.
• Midterm Examination
The Midterm is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, 7:00-9:00pm in DC 1350. Please inform the instructor
as soon as possible if you have a legitimate conflict with this time.
Marked midterms will be handed back in class or office hours, and marks will be posted on UW Learn.
If you believe you have received an unfair mark on the midterm, you have up to one week from the
date the midterm was handed back to request a remark. Please attach a written explanation to the
cover of the midterm and give your midterm to the instructor.
• Final Examination
Students are advised not to make any travel arrangements before the final examination times are
posted. Note that in the event that the final examination is postponed, the final examination will be
rescheduled for the day following the end of the regular examination schedule. Under no circumstances
will alternate examinations be scheduled for students who have made travel arrangements which conflict
with the final examination.
Students must inform the registrar’s office if they have a conflict in the final examination schedule,
by the date posted on the registrar’s web site. Note that there is a precise definition of conflict as
defined by the registrar. http://www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/exams/finalexams.html The course
instructors will then be contacted by the registrar’s office to make alternate arrangements. Under no
circumstances will the instructors make alternate arrangements for a final examination unless given
instructions by the registrar’s office.
• Plagiarism
Plagiarism is representing the work of others as your own. Plagiarism on exams includes using unauthorized aids or communicating in any way with others during an examination. Plagiarism on assignments
includes copying another student’s solution and submitting it as your own, allowing another student
to copy your solution, collaborating excessively with another student, or obtaining solutions from any
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other source. The typical penalty in these cases is a mark of -100% for the assignment in question. See
the section on Discipline below for more information.
All academic offenses are reported to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and are recorded
in the student’s file. Subsequent academic offenses in the same course or in other courses will lead to
more severe penalties, up to and including suspension and expulsion.
We encourage you to discuss general concepts and problems with classmates, tutors, TAs, and instructors. However, the solution that you submit must be worked through by yourself and written in
your own words. It is not acceptable to work on an assignment with somebody else and write it up
individually.
• Academic Integrity
In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community
are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. http://www.uwaterloo.
ca/academicintegrity/
• Grievance
A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair
or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70, Student Petitions and
Grievances, Section 4, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm When in
doubt please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further
assistance.
• Discipline
A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing academic
offenses and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action
constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or
about ”rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic
advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For information on categories of offenses and types
of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline. http://www.adm.uwaterloo.
ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of
Penalties, http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/guidelines/penaltyguidelines.htm
• Avoiding Academic Offenses
Most students are unaware of the line between acceptable and unacceptable academic behaviour,
especially when discussing assignments with classmates and using the work of other students. For
information on commonly misunderstood academic offenses and how to avoid them, students should
refer to the Faculty of Mathematics Cheating and Student Academic Discipline Policy http://www.
math.uwaterloo.ca/navigation/Current/cheating_policy.shtml
• Appeals
A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than
a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who
believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals, http://www.
adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy72.htm
• Disabilities
The AccessAbility Services Office (AS), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all
academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without
compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to
lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AS at the beginning of each academic
term. http://uwaterloo.ca/disability-services/
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