Math 170C (Introduction to Numerical Analysis: Ordinary Differential Equations)

Course Topics: Introduction to Numerical Analysis: Ordinary Differential Equations
Instructor: Prof. Michael Holst (5161 AP&M, mholst@ucsd.edu; Regular Office Hours: TBA)
Term: Spring 2022
Lecture: 2:00p-2:50p MWF (See Canvas for Room, Zoom Links, other info)
TA: See the Canvas Page
Discussion: See the Canvas Page

Main Class webpage: http://ccom.ucsd.edu/~mholst/teaching/ucsd/170c_s22/index.html

Canvas/Zoom:
    In 2021-2022 the course 170ABC will be based around the use of Canvas, which will be the place to find all materials for the course, information about lectures and office hours, including Zoom links, as well as any recorded lectures or materials that might be provided as part of the course. Note that this means that this webpage I created on my UCSD website for the course will not be updated after the first day of class; please use your Canvas account for the class going forward.
Textbook(s):
    In order to use the best available resources for 170ABC, we used a diferent book for 170A (Fall 2021), but for 170B (Winter 2022) and 170C (Spring 2022) we are able to use a single book that covers exactly the material we need for both quarters; it is this book:

  • Numerical Analysis: Mathematics of Scientific Computing.
    D. Kincaid and W. Cheney
    Third Edition, American Mathematical Society, Providence, Rhode Island, 2009.

    The book is available through the UCSD library system by clicking [ here ]. The entire book can be viewed online for free by UCSD faculty and students by clicking on the "view online" link in the page above, or by clicking [ here ]. You will need to access the link from UCSD, or through a UCSD VPN, and then the link will give you access to the entire book.

    NOTE: There is a limit to how many pages you are allowed download as a PDF file due to the UCSD online license with the publisher, and that will not be enough for you to download the entire book. (There seems to be no way around this limitation.) That just means you will need to read the book mostly online through a web browser, if you want to take advantage of this free access. The browser access seems to work very well, so I recommend this option. (The entire book is of course available for purchase from the first link above both as a single electronic PDF file, or as a physical copy; the free online access provided through UCSD will work fine for the course.)
Printable Syllabus: A printable version of this webpage can be found [ here ].


CATALOG DESCRIPTION: 170C. INTRODUCTION TO NUMERICAL ANALYSIS: ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS (4)
Numerical differentiation and integration. Ordinary differential equations and their numerical solution. Basic existence and stability theory. Difference equations. Boundary value problems. Three lectures, one recitation. Prerequisites: Math 170B and Math 20D. Students who have not completed the listed prerequisites may enroll with consent of instructor.


COURSE INFORMATION: Many of the advances of modern science have been made possible only through the sophisticated use of computer modeling. The mathematical foundation of the computer modeling techniques now used in all areas of mathematics, engineering, and science is known as numerical analysis. The Math 170ABC series at UCSD provides an introduction to the exciting field of numerical analysis, which is also sometimes referred to as computational mathematics or scientific computing. Professor Holst has a passion for this particular area of mathematics, and much of his published research is in this area. Math 170C deals primarily with the development and analysis of algorithms (or, numerical methods) for solving linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equations, as well as systems of such equations. In 170C, we bring together all of the core ideas, theory, and algorithms we learned in 170A and 170B to develop techniques for solving the mathematical problems at the heart of applied mathematics, science, engineering, as well as other areas involving mathematical modeling: differential equations.


OTHER COURSE INFORMATION: Please see the Canvas page for other information about this course.