Preparation Numerical Methods Course

[Max.Planck]

Hi,

Next year I will be a numerical methods course as part of my Mathematics minor (CS major).
I want to prepare for this course in the summer. How can I best prepare for this class considering I have never used Matlab before?

 

[Angry Citizen]

Have you ever programmed before?

 

[Max.Planck]

Have you ever programmed before?

A lot. I also do a lot of algorithmic challenges such as ICPC, TopCoder, CodeJam etc.

 

[Angry Citizen]

Then all you need to do is brush up on MATLAB's syntax, at least for the programming aspect. As for the math, well, I suppose it depends greatly on the topics being discussed.

 

[Max.Planck]

Then all you need to do is brush up on MATLAB's syntax, at least for the programming aspect. As for the math, well, I suppose it depends greatly on the topics being discussed.

Topics discussed are the following:
- Estimation of error
- Numeric Integration
- Data fitting
- Numerically solving ODE
- boundary Value problems
- PDE
- Solving equations

Note: I have done Calc I&II and Linear Algebra.

 

[Angry Citizen]

Estimation of Error: Brush up on Taylor Series.
Solving equations: Brush up on matrices. Gaussian elimination techniques are useful to know here.

'fraid I can't comment on the rest, I'm in the midst of my own numerical methods course.

 

[qspeechc]

Well, in addition to what Angry Citizen said, since the course covers solutions to ODEs and PDEs you may want to brush up on the theory of those topics. Some linear algebra and maybe a little bit of basic probability will help too.

You can get a Matlab book and start going through it yourself if you want to (I can't recommend any, sorry).

 

[Max.Planck]

I have the book: "Linear Algebra and its applications" by Lay. It contains some examples in Matlab I think, will that suffice?