Introduction to Computational Science

Numerical computing is an interconnected combination of computer science and mathematics in which we develop and analyze algorithms for solving important problems in science, engineering, medicine, and business---for example, simulating an earthquake , choosing a stock portfolio, or detecting cancer tumors in medical images. The students will learn principles and practices of basic numerical computation. This is a key aspect of scientific computation. This class will cover several topics, including: one-dimensional nonlinear equations; understanding and dealing with sources of error; linear equations and linear least-squares; data fitting; and ordinary differential equations. As much as possible, numerical methods will be presented in the context of real-world applications.