Course Logistics

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Course Objectives

ME 352 is a required course for the BSME program, and it is typically taken in the third year. The primary goal is to provide mechanical engineering majors with a basic knowledge of numerical methods including: root-finding, elementary numerical linear algebra, solving systems of linear equations, curve fitting, and numerical solution to ordinary differential equations. MATLAB is the software environment used for implementation and application of these numerical methods. The numerical techniques learned in this course enable students to work with mathematical models of technology and systems. Homework and projects in other courses in the BSME curriculum require the mathematical and numerical skills obtained in ME 352.

Prerequisites


Logistics

Instructor

Gerald Recktenwald, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department
Engineering Building, Suite 400, 725-4290,

Office Hours

Textbook

Gerald Recktenwald, Numerical Methods with MATLAB: Implementations and Applications, 2001, Prentice-Hall.

Time and Place

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12:00 - 1:50 AM, Engineering Building, Room 103

Policies

Two, thirty-minute, in-class quizzes will be given. The midterm exam will last one class period. The final exam will be comprehensive. All quizzes and exams are mandatory. Discuss any potential conflicts well before the exam dates. There will be no make-up quizzes or exams.

If you have a disability and are in need of academic accommodations, please notify me (G. Recktenwald) immediately to arrange needed supports. If you need information about disabilities, please contact the Disability Resource Center on campus at 503-725-4150.

Students are expected to turn in homework problems that are substantially the result of their own work. Study groups, discussion of assignments among students, collective brainstorming for solutions, and sharing of advice is encouraged. Copying of assignments, computer files, graphs, or other means of duplicating material that is turned in for grading is expressly forbidden. Cheating on exams will result in a zero grade for the exam.

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Software

This course uses MATLAB for interactive numerical analysis and programming. Registered students will be able to use MATLAB in CECS computing laboratories. If you can afford it, you will also benefit from purchasing your own copy of the MATLAB Student Edition, which is sold at the PSU Bookstore for $99. Buying the Student Edition is not required.

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Grading

Cumulative grades will be based on the following weights

20% Homework
20% Quizzes (2 at 10% each)
30% Midterm Exam
30% Final Exam