MATH1052 Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations

Semester 1, 2001













Summary: This handout describes basic course information such as meeting times and locations, subject content and format, assessment materials, and the names and contact details of the lecturer and tutors.

Lecturer: Dr. Jon Links, Rm 701  Priestley Bldg., 3365-2400, jrl@maths.uq.edu.au,
Office Hours:   Monday,  9-10 am, Tuesday,  Thursday  11-12 am.

Delivery: This subject has three contact components:

  1. Lectures on Monday 8-9 am in 3-329, Tuesday 10-11 am in 3-329, Thursday 10-11 am in 50-S201
  2. Weekly tutorials: Wednesday 8-9 am in 67-342,  Wednesday 9-10 am in 67-342,  Thursday 1-2 pm in 43-105
  3. Weekly practicals: Wednesday 8-9 am in 67-442,  Wednesday 9-10 am in 67-542,  Thursday 1-2 pm  67-542
There are NO tutorial or practical sessions during the first week (Week 1) of the semester, and during the last week (Week 13) no assignments will be due.

Students are required to sign on to a tutorial class and practical session using  SI-net at  http://www.sinet.uq.edu.au .
Once the classes have been chosen,  the student must attend the same sessions each week.  All work that is submitted for assessment must be given to the tutor for that session.
 

Objective: This course covers a number of topics related to multivariable calculus and ordinary differential equations, the topics include:

  1. Vector functions: Velocity, Acceleration, Line Integrals, Vector Calculus.
  2. Functions of several variables: Equations of Surfaces, Contour Diagrams, Level Surfaces.
  3. Multivariable Calculus: Partial Derivatives and Gradients, Local and Global Extrema, Optimisation Methods, Taylor series of single and multivariable functions.
  4. Ordinary Differential Equations: First and Second order Linear Differential Equations, Numerical Integration, Simple Harmonic Motion and Damped Oscillations, Particular Solutions, Resonance, Systems of Equations.
This material appears repeatedly throughout science and engineering and will be illustrated with extensive examples.

Resources: There is a reference textbook for this course:

  1. Calculus (4th Edition) by James Stewart; Brooks/Cole Publishing Company ISBN 0-534-35949-3
It will be expected that you obtain access to a book either through purchase or use of the reserve copies. University Policy allows the setting of reference textbooks.

Some places (such as the Department of Mathematics Handbook) list Introduction to Linear Algebra by G. Strang as a textbook. This will not be needed so you do not have to buy this book.
 

Web Resources: This course has a web page which is located under the ``Subject Pages Semester 1, 2001" heading on the Department of Mathematics Web Page. You should direct your browser to http://www.maths.uq.edu.au/ and then to the "Subject Pages Semester 1, 2001" link. Choose MATH1052 and you will be at the course home page. (Alternatively, you can link directly to http://www.maths.uq.edu.au/~jrl/math1052 ) You should check the course home page at least once per week since there may be important announcements placed there as well. An important introduction to Matlab can be found by a link to the departmental subject page. This is a comprehensive tutorial that offers an excellent introduction.

Assessment: Course assessment will consist of the following components:

  1. A two-hour final examination worth 60% of the final grade.
  2. A one-hour midsemester examination conducted during the scheduled tutorial session of week 8 worth 20% of the final grade.
  3. A set of weekly tutorial assignments worth 10% of the final grade.
  4. Two computer practicals assignments worth 10% of the final grade.
The computer projects must be handed in at the end of the scheduled practical sessions in weeks 9 and 13. Late computer assignments will not be assessed. Your tutorial assignments should be turned in at the conclusion of your tutorial schedule. Late tutorials will not normally be accepted. The solutions will be handed out the following week in the lecture. Graded tutorials will be returned in the tutorial sessions. You should attempt all problems on the assignments, but not all will necessarily be considered for assessment.

History has shown that for students to do well they need to keep pace with the subject matter and to learn mathematics by doing it, not just reading about it. Therefore, it is important that your are prepared for both the practical and tutorial sessions by keeping pace with the assigned readings and attempting the problems before the tutorial.