Spring 2010, module 1 (1/13 - 3/19)

Meeting times
Lec: MWF 12:15-1:05pm  in Reiss 502
Lab: Th 10:15am-12:05pm  in Reiss 501B computer lab

Instructor
Amy Liu
Office: Reiss 554    Phone: 202-687-6583    E-mail: liu@physics.georgetown.edu
office hours: open door policy

Textbook
Computational Physics, N. Giordano and H. Nakanishi (Prentice Hall, 2006).
Also recommended: Numerical Recipes in C/Fortran: The Art of Scientific Computing, W. H. Press et al. (Cambridge, 1992);

Course outline
Computation has become an integral part of science and engineering. The working physicist must be able to take advantage of the power offered by computers to attack scientific problems that are otherwise intractable. In this module, we will introduce some basic numerical methods commonly used in scientific computation.

This is not a course in computer programming. Rather, the focus is on numerical algorithms. It is assumed that you have had some experience writing computer codes in a language like C, Fortran, Basic, etc. If this is not the case, you should see me for help in getting started.

A tentative schedule for the course can be found at http://www.physics.georgetown.edu/~liu/p503/syllabus.html

Homework
Weekly assignments will usually be due at 5pm on Fridays. 

One of the main ways you will learn the material is by doing the homework. You are encouraged to discuss the assignments with your fellow students, but I suggest that you first try them on your own. This will allow you to organize your thoughts and identify areas of difficulty. Please keep in mind that whatever you turn in, including all the programs, must be your own work. Simply copying someone else's work without understanding it is not only a violation of the Georgetown Honor System, but also a great way to guarantee poor performance on the exams.

Exams
There will be one mid-module exam and one exam at the end of the module. 

Grading
Homework (~6 assignments): 45%
Midterm Exam: 20%
Integrative Experience: 15%
Final Exam: 20%