Math 4581 Classical Mathematical Methods in Engineering   (AQ, AU, Q),  spring 2020

Syllabus

Instructor: Chongchun Zeng

Prerequisites: MATH 2552 or MATH 2562 or MATH 2X52

Overview: This course is designed to meet the mathematical needs of engineering majors. A familiarity with these subjects is not assumed before the course, while the students are supposed to be familiar with multi-variable calculus. Coming out of this course, you should have the required mathematics background for upper level and graduate courses in these fields.

Participation: Attendance in classes is mandatory. Students are expected to read the material before each lecture. It is suggested that you start to work on homework problems  right after they are assigned instead of waiting until close to the due date.

Textbook: Boundary Value Problems, 6th edition, by David L Powers, Elsevier Academic Press.

Material: In this semester, the topics we will cover include: a very brief review of ordinary differential equations, followed by Fourier series and Fourier Transforms, heat equations, wave equations, potential equations, Laplace Transforms and applications to differential equations. In the textbook, after we go through Chapter 0 quickly, we will cover most parts of Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and some of Chapter 5 if time allows.

Only the simplest scientific calculators are allowed. In particular, graphic calculators are not allowed.

Grades: 1 final exam 50%, 1 midterm 26% each, 6 homework assignments 4% each. . 

• Exams: Please write your exam solutions in ink and circle the final answer of each problem in a box with no corrections inside. Writing exams in pencil would automatically forfeit your right to argue for credits after the exam is given back to you. There will be no make-up for any missed exams, except under provable impossibility to attend the exam (contact Dr. Zeng). 
• Midterm exam: The 75-minute midterm is scheduled to be given during the lecture on Wed. Feb. 26th. All the exams are "closed book" and  "closed notes". You will be allowed to bring with you a one page (8.5 X 11, both sides) "cheat sheet" with anything you want written on it.
• Final exam: The final will be a take-home exam to be completed on Wed. 4/29 (the originally scheduled final date at GT final exam calender webpage.) It will be open-book and open-notes (the textbook and notes of this course this semester only).
  
• Homework: Homework will be assigned at the end of each lecture and then put on this webpage in the below, where you will also find the due dates of the problems included in each assignment. You may discuss the homework problems with other students in this class, but you should write down the solutions and complete the homework independently. The homework will be collected roughly every 2 weeks as one assignment. On each collecting day, the homework is due in the classroom at the beginning of the lecture. Some selected problems from each assignment will be graded and the score will be given based on both the correctness of the graded problems and the completion of the whole assignment. The specific homework collecting dates are:
  
                1/22 (Wed.), 2/5(Wed.), 2/19(Wed.), 3/4(Wed.), 4/1(Wed.), 4/15(Wed.)
  

• Grades: In general your final grade will be assigned as a letter grade according to the following scale:
• A 90-100%
• B 77-89.99%
• C 65-76.99%
• D 55-64.99%
• F 0-54.99%

          When needed, a curve may be applied to adjust the letter grades upward.                                                              

More Course info:                                                                                                 

• Course website: http://people.math.gatech.edu/~zengch/spr2020/spr2020math4581.html includes the most updated assignments as well as basic course information, syllabus, etc.
• CANVAS will be mainly used for the gradebook and announcements (assignments may not be the most updated there).

Homework assignments:

• Homework Assignment #1 (due Wed., 1/22):
• Assigned on Mon. 1/6: Sec. 0.1,   4, 6, 11, 13, 17, 20
• Assigned on Wed. 1/8: Sec. 0.2,   4, 5, 19 
• Assigned on Mon. 1/13: Sec. 0.3   Sec. 0.3,  3a, 6, 9;  Sec. 0.4,  4, 8 
• Assigned on Wed. 1/15: Sec. 1.1   1(bc), 2(ac), 5, 7ab;
• Solutions to some problems
  

• Homework Assignment #2 (due Wed., 2/5):
• Assigned on Wed. 1/22:  Sec. 1.2,   1c, 3, 5abd, 6, 7c, 10a, 11a;  Sec. 1.3,  2abd, 4, 7
• Assigned on Mon. 1/27: Sec.  1.4,   1af, 2, 3ce
• No new assignments
• Solutions to some problems

• Homework Assignment #3 (due Wed., 2/19):
• Assigned on Mon. 2/3: Sec. 1.5,   5, 6, 9;    Sec. 1.6,   1, 2, 3;  
• Assigned on Wed. 2/5: Sec. 1.9,   1c, 3b, 6; 
• Review of complex numbers (not an assignment)
• Assigned on Wed. 2/5: Sec. 1.10,   1, 2, 3;   Sec. 1.11,   3
• Solutions to some problems

• Homework Assignment #4 (due Wed., 3/4):
• Assigned on Mon. 2/17: Sec. 2.1,  1, 2;    Sec. 2.2,   1, 2, 6b;
• Assigned on Wed. 2/19: Sec. 2.3,  1, 2, 6;   Sec. 2.4,  4, 5
• Assigned on Mon. 2/24: Sec. 2.5,  6, 7
• Solutions to some problems

• Homework Assignment #5 (due Wed., 4/1):
• Assigned on Mon. 3/2: Sec. 2.6,   3, 7;   Sec. 2.7,   1, 3e, 4, 5c, 8, 11
• Assigned on Mon. 3/9: Sec. 2.8,   3, 4
• Assigned on Wed. 3/11: Sec. 2.9,   1;   Sec. 2.10,   4, 7;   Sec. 2.11,   1
• Solutions to some problems

• Homework Assignment #6 (due Wed., 4/15):
• Assigned on Mon. 3/30: Sec. 3.1,  3, 4;  Sec. 3.2,   3, 7;  Sec. 3.3,  1, 7;   Sec. 3.6,   3, 8;
• Assigned on Wed. 4/1:  Sec. 3.4,   5, 7;   Sec. 3.5,   4, 5
• Assigned on Mon. 4/6: Sec. 4.1,   1, 5, 8;  Sec. 4.2,   2, 3, 7c; 
• Solutions to some problems

• Homework recommended (not to be collected):
• Suggested on Wed. 4/8:  Sec. 4.3,   1b, 2b;  Sec. 4.4,  5c, 21, 26, 27;
• Suggested on Mon. 4/13:  Sec. 4.5,   1, 6, 9, 10;   Sec. 4.6,  1, 2
• Solutions to some problems

Academic Integrity

Georgia Tech aims to cultivate a community based on trust, academic integrity, and honor. Students are expected to act according to the highest ethical standards.  For information on Georgia Tech's Academic Honor Code, please visit http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/policies/honor-code/ or http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/18/.

Any student suspected of cheating or plagiarizing on a quiz, exam, or assignment will be reported to the Office of Student Integrity, who will investigate the incident and identify the appropriate penalty for violations.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with learning needs that require special accommodation, contact the Office of Disability Services at (404)894-2563 or 

http://disabilityservices.gatech.edu/

as soon as possible, to make an appointment to discuss your special needs and to obtain an accommodations letter.  Please also e-mail me as soon as possible in order to set up a time to discuss your learning needs.

Student-Faculty Expectations Agreement

At Georgia Tech we believe that it is important to strive for an atmosphere of mutual respect, acknowledgement, and responsibility between faculty members and the student body. See http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/22/ for an articulation of some basic expectation that you can have of me and that I have of you. In the end, simple respect for knowledge, hard work, and cordial interactions will help build the environment we seek. Therefore, I encourage you to remain committed to the ideals of Georgia Tech while in this class.

Campus Resources for Students

In your time at Georgia Tech, you may find yourself in need of support. Below you will find some resources to support you both as a student and as a person.  

Academic support

• Center for Academic Success http://success.gatech.edu
• 1-to-1 tutoring http://success.gatech.edu/1-1-tutoring 
• Peer-Led Undergraduate Study (PLUS) http://success.gatech.edu/tutoring/plus 
• Academic coaching http://success.gatech.edu/coaching

• Residence Life's Learning Assistance Program https://housing.gatech.edu/learning-assistance-program 
• Drop-in tutoring for many 1000 level courses

• OMED: Educational Services (http://omed.gatech.edu/programs/academic-support)
• Group study sessions and tutoring programs

• Communication Center (http://www.communicationcenter.gatech.edu)
• Individualized help with writing and multimedia projects

• Academic advisors for your major http://advising.gatech.edu/

Personal Support

Georgia Tech Resources

• The Office of the Dean of Students:  http://studentlife.gatech.edu/content/services; 404-894-6367; Smithgall Student Services Building 2^nd floor
• You also may request assistance at https://gatech-advocate.symplicity.com/care_report/index.php/pid383662?
• Counseling Center:  http://counseling.gatech.edu; 404-894-2575; Smithgall Student Services Building 2^nd floor 
• Services include short-term individual counseling, group counseling, couples counseling, testing and assessment, referral services, and crisis intervention.  Their website also includes links to state and national resources.
• Students in crisis may walk in during business hours (8am-5pm, Monday through Friday) or contact the counselor on call after hours at 404-894-2204.
• Students’ Temporary Assistance and Resources (STAR): http://studentlife.gatech.edu/content/need-help
• Can assist with interview clothing, food, and housing needs.
• Stamps Health Services: https://health.gatech.edu; 404-894-1420
• Primary care, pharmacy, women’s health, psychiatry, immunization and allergy, health promotion, and nutrition
• OMED: Educational Services:  http://www.omed.gatech.edu 
• Women’s Resource Center:  http://www.womenscenter.gatech.edu; 404-385-0230
• LGBTQIA Resource Center:  http://lgbtqia.gatech.edu/; 404-385-2679
• Veteran’s Resource Center:  http://veterans.gatech.edu/; 404-385-2067
• Georgia Tech Police: 404-894-2500

Statement of Intent for Inclusivity

As a member of the Georgia Tech community, I am committed to creating a learning environment in which all of my students feel safe and included.  Because we are individuals with varying needs, I am reliant on your feedback to achieve this goal.  To that end, I invite you to enter into dialogue with me about the things I can stop, start, and continue doing  to make my classroom an environment in which every student feels valued and can engage actively in our learning community.