530.106 Computing in Mechanical Engineering (spring 2007) MTW 9-10 am, Hodson 210 (schedule) Instructor: Prof. Lester Su, Latrobe 229, 6-8637, lsu: jhu.edu Office hours: M 3-4, F 9-10, plus lunch Friday, or stop by whenever my door's open TAs: Ganhui Lan, langanhui: jhu.edu, 6-6238 Office hours: T 1-2, 2nd floor student lounge in Clark Hall Zuoli Xiao, zxiao: jhu.edu Office hours: M 2-3, Latrobe 321 This course introduces the use of computers in approaching mechanical engineering problems. It is not a programming course in the sense of focusing on the syntax and organization of a particular programming language. When we talk about `computing', we really mean that we want to get computers to do math for us. That is, we're interested in using computers for analyzing data and solving problems. The course will begin with elementary topics relevant to computing, which will allow us to express math problems in a way that computers can understand. specfically, we'll cover discrete analysis, statistics, and basic concepts in the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations. We will then apply these concepts to a variety of realistic problems in mechanical engineering, using the MATLAB computing environment. By the end of the semester, students will be conversant with the data-analysis capabilities of computers, and will be comfortable with developing their own programs to deal with diverse engineering problems. (syllabus)   Course schedule (spring 2007) Date Subjects Reading Assignments 22 Jan Course introduction; introduction to computing, numerical analysis and statistics 23 Jan Introductory examples 24 Jan More examples; discrete variables Quiz 1   29 Jan Statistics: Basic concepts 30 Jan Statistics: Histograms, linear regression notes HW 1 due 31 Jan Statistics: Linear regression; correlation notes Quiz 2   5 Feb Discrete analysis: Interpolation 6 Feb Discrete analysis: Taylor series, differentiation notes HW 2 due 7 Feb Discrete analysis: Differentiation notes Quiz 3   12 Feb Discrete analysis: Integration notes 13 Feb Discrete analysis: Integration; uncertainty analysis notes 14 Feb Uncertainty analysis HW 3 due   19 Feb Uncertainty analysis notes Quiz 4 20 Feb Computing: Fundamentals, problem-solving methodology, flowcharting, program structure 21 Feb Computing: Program structure HW 4 due 2/22   26 Feb First exam 27 Feb Matlab: Introduction Ch. 1 28 Feb Matlab: Data types, mathematical operations Ch. 1, 2, 3.1--3.5   5 Mar Matlab: Program structure and control; for-loops Ch. 7.4 6 Mar Matlab: Program structure and control; if-statements, logical operators Ch. 7.1, 7.2, 7.4 7 Mar Matlab: Program structure and control; if-statements, logical operators Ch. 7.1, 7.2, 7.4 No quiz; HW 5 due 3/8   (Week of 12 Mar)    (Spring break)   19 Mar Matlab: Program structure and control; if-statements, while-loops Ch. 7.1, 7.2, 7.4 20 Mar Matlab: User-defined programs and functions Ch. 4.1-4.4, 6.1-6.5 21 Mar Matlab: Programming practice Ch. 6.1-6.5; notes Quiz 5   26 Mar Matlab: Programming practice (continued) 27 Mar Matlab: Programming practice (continued) HW 6 28 Mar Matlab applications: Data file types notes; Ch. 4.7 Quiz 6   2 Apr Matlab applications: Data file types; plotting; interpolation/curve fitting Ch. 4.7, 5.1, 8.2, 8.3 3 Apr Matlab applications: Interpolation/curve fitting Ch. 10.3 HW 7 4 Apr Matlab applications: Integration and differentiation Ch. 10.3 Quiz 7   9 Apr Matlab applications: Differentiation 10 Apr Ordinary differential equations notes; Ch. 10.4 11 Apr Second exam   16 Apr Matlab applications: ODEs Ch. 10.4 17 Apr Matlab applications: ODEs 18 Apr Signal processing HW 8 due 4/20 (data files: hw08_1.dat, hw08_2.dat)   23 Apr Signal processing 24 Apr Symbolic math Ch. 11.1, 11.2 25 Apr Symbolic math Ch. 11.2-11.5 HW 9 due 4/27 (data files: signal2d.dat); Quiz 8   8 May (Tuesday) Final exam, 9 am - noon   All course materials © 2007 by Lester K. Su. home  research  people  courses       Dept. of Mechanical Engineering