ME 350: Winter 2017

ME 350 is a required course in the BSME curriculum. The course provides a review of MATLAB, an introduction to structured MATLAB programming, and an introduction to basic numerical methods that are useful for engineering analysis.

In addition to the content on this public web site we will also use a D2L page for private and secure transactions such as submitting homework and viewing grades.

Download the course syllabus.

Time and Place for Winter 2017

There are two sections of ME 350. Each section meets once per week

Office Hours

G. Recktenwald's office hours for Winter 2017 are

I will also be available in the computer lab for about one hour after each class meeting.

Textbook

The textbook for the course is Essential MATLAB for Engineerings and Scientists, 6th ed., Brian H. Hahn and Daniel T. Valentine, 2017, Academic Press. New and used copies of the book are available at the PSU bookstore. The PSU Bookstore will stock both the 5th and 6th edition. I recommend the 6th edition, but the 5th edition will be OK.

MATLAB Screencasts by Robert Talbert

Dr. Robert Talbert is a mathematics professor at Grand Valley State University. In support of a numerical analysis and programming class that he teaches, Dr. Talbert has created a series of screencasts on doing computations with MATLAB. If you are having trouble with a particular feature in MATLAB, or if you just want to try learning from a different source, I recommend that you check out Talbert's recorded lectures. For example, his screencast on fprintf may help you understand the relationship between the variables and format strings.

Using computers on the MCECS Network

MCECS = Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science

ME 350 will require you to use the computers in the MCECS network, which means that you must have activated account prior to using one of those computers.

If you have taken an engineering class at PSU, then you probably have an account. Before the first day of class, please go to one of the MCECS computer labs and verify that you can to log on. While you are there, launch MATLAB and do a little practice.

or

If you are a new student at PSU, then you were given an account during the required orientation. Just to make sure, before the first day of class, please go to one of the MCECS computer labs and verify that you can log on. While you are there, launch MATLAB and do a little practice.

If you do not have, or cannot find, your MCECS computer account, please go to one of the Front Desks: FAB 82-01, FAB 88, or EB 325A. (Hint: FAB = Fourth Avenue Building, EB = Engineering Building) Once you have the account information, and before the first day of class, please go to one of the MCECS computer labs and verify that you can log on. While you are there, launch MATLAB and do a little practice.

All students would benefit by studying these web pages provided by our Computer Action Team (CAT).

Practice using MATLAB before the start of class

In ME 350 you will use MATLAB every week. Although we will review MATLAB programming as part of the course, it would be very helpful if you practiced using MATLAB before the start of the course. This pre-course practice is not required, but it will help you learn the material in ME 350 without having to put so much effort into MATLAB basics.

There are many on-line resources to help you learn MATLAB. I suggest you try these tutorials

and if you are very ambitious, try the Introduction to MATLAB Programming course at MIT.