Introduction to Programming with MATLAB MATH.2720-201

Spring 2019

Syllabus


General Course Information

Meeting times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 1:00 - 1:50

Location: Southwick Hall room 309

Prerequisites: Calculus I (92.131)

Class attendance is not required but is strongly recommended. You are responsible for all information (course material, assignments, changes in exam dates, etc.) presented in class, whether you attend or not.

Student Affairs Information and Services for Students

Student Affairs Information and Services for Students


Contacting the Instructor

Email: stephen_pennell@uml.edu

Phone: (978) 934-2710

Fax: (978) 934-3053

Office: Olney 428J

Office Hours:
M 9 - 10 and W 9 - 10 in Olney 428J
F 11 - 12 in Southwick 321.

Meetings at times other than my office hours can be arranged by appointment. See me after class, call me, or send me an email message.


Course Rationale

Many problems arising in mathematics, science, and engineering cannot easily be solved analytically. Examples include weather prediction, modeling of groundwater flow, and analyzing the motion of a wind turbine blade, to name just three. For this type of problem it is often necessary to generate approximate solutions using a computer.

Specialized software is available for many applications, but even these software packages often require extensive programming on the part of the user. For other applications, there may be no specialized software available, in which case the user must develop his or her own solution.

MATLAB, a software package widely used in industry and in government labs, offers both a wide variety of preprogrammed capabilities and a structured programming language. By learning MATLAB, you will be able to generate approximate solutions of many commonly occurring mathematical problems, and you will be able to learn other programming languages should the need arise. These skills will be useful to you in your other science and engineering courses and in your career.


Learning Outcomes

In this course, you will


General Comments




Academic Integrity

Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the University and sanctions may be imposed on any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty. Details on UML policy can be found at
http://www.uml.edu/Catalog/Undergraduate/Policies/Academic-Integrity.aspx. Note in particular that any incident which results in some action being taken must be reported to the Provost's Office.


Textbook

Required: None.
Recommended: Gilat, MATLAB: An Introduction with Applications, 5th ed., Wiley, 2015.


Grading Policy

Course grades

Course grades will be based on homework, 2 exams during the semester, and a comprehensive final exam. Your pre-final average is based on the homework and 2 semester exams. The lowest of these 3 scores counts for 20% of your pre-final average, and the other 2 scores each count for 40% of your pre-final average.
Your course average is based on your pre-final average and your final exam score. If your grade on the final exam is greater than or equal to your pre-final average, then your pre-final average and your final exam score each count for 50% of your course average. If your grade on the final exam is less than your pre-final average, then your pre-final average counts for 80% of your course average and your final exam score counts for 20% of your course average.
Your letter grade for the course will be determined from your course average according to the following table:

Average [93, 100) [90, 93) [87, 90) [83, 87) [80, 83) [77, 80) [73, 77) [70, 73) [67, 70) [60, 67) [0, 60)
Grade A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F

Tentative exam dates


Homework

In order for you to understand the material in this course, it is extremely important that you do the assigned homework problems. Working with your classmates can be a great help, and I strongly encourage it. I also urge you to ask questions about any problems that give you trouble.

Late homework will be accepted without penalty up to one week after the due date; late homework will not be accepted more than one week after the due date for any reason.

Your two lowest homework scores will be dropped.


Exam Policy

It is important that everyone take the same exams under the same conditions for maximum fairness and reliability of testing. I therefore do not give makeup exams unless you have a valid reason (for example, illness or religious holiday) for missing the scheduled exam, and I do not allow extra time on exams unless you have a note from the Office of Disability Services. If you have to miss a scheduled exam, please let me know ahead of time if at all possible. I am much more likely to be sympathetic if you call me the morning of the exam and say "I have the flu and can't take the exam" than if you come in two days after the exam and say "I missed the exam. When can I take a makeup?"

Cell phone use is not permitted during exams.

Tips on Taking Exams

[Course home page]     [Steve Pennell's home page]     [UMass Lowell Math Department]     [UMass Lowell Honors Program]     [UMass Lowell]

Steve Pennell | (978) 934-2710 | stephen_pennell@uml.edu



Last Updated: March 14, 2019