COP4313-001 Symbolic Computations in Mathematics

Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of South Florida

SPRING 2011 TR 12:30pm-01:45pm SCA222

Instructor:

Dr. Wen-Xiu Ma, Office: PHY310, Phone: (813)974-9563.

Office Hours and Location:

TR 10:30am-11:30am (tentative) or by appointment, PHY310.

Course Description and Objectives:

- Students will learn to use the symbolic programming system Maple to solve mathematics problems and write Maple programs to solve problems in various areas of mathematics, including calculus, linear algebra and differential equations.

- Upon completing the course, students will be able to understand the Maple language and to employ Maple to perform various symbolic computations in mathematics.

Prerequisites:

MAC2283 Eng Calculus III or MAC2313 Calculus III, MAS3105 Linear Algebra, MGF3301 Bridge to Abstract Mathematics or equivalent.

Course Text:

- 12 Maple Worksheets (aka, lectures) on Symbolic Computations in Mathematics by the instructor, Department of Mathematics, University of South Florida, 2011.

- Lectures, review questions and homework assignments in the form of Maple worksheets will be made available at the course Blackboard site free of charge to the registered students. The lectures will be self-contained.

- Maple also has extensive documentation and examples of use built in to the program. Instructions will be given on how to access this information.

- Notes or tapes of class lectures are not permitted for purposes of sale.

Software:

- The programming system that will be used in this course is Maple 14. All students registered for this course are eligible to use a promotion code (AP69014) to purchase a download copy of Maple 14 Student Edition from the Maplesoft Webstore at a significantly discounted price.

- Purchase includes the Maple Getting Started Guide and the Maple Learning Guide. These books are helpful for the course.

Blackboard Web Site:

The Blackboard course web site can be entered via the university web single sign-on portal at myUSF Online, from which all Maple worksheets such as lectures, homework assignments, and supplementary materials will be available for download.

Homework Assignments:

- Each lecture has one homework assignment. All designed exercises will help you to develop your skills and your ability to apply the techniques you have learned to concrete situations.

- You are required to do all homework exercises. Doing exercises is the best way to deepen your understanding of the topics and to convince yourself that you understand them.

- Homework assigned in Week 2, Week 7, and Week 12 will be collected for grading, on January 25 (Tuesday, Week 3), March 1 (Tuesday, Week 8) and April 12 (Tuesday, Week 13) (tentative), respectively.

Examinations:

- There will be two mid-term exams and one final exam.

Exam 1. February 8 (Tuesday, Week 5) ( tentative).
Exam 2. March 22 (Tuesday, Week 10) (tentative).
Final exam. May 1 (Sunday, Final Exam Week), 3:00pm-5:00pm (tentative).

The contents covered by the exams will be announced in class.

- Attendance at examinations is mandatory. No make-up exam will be given except in the most extenuating of circumstances. If you are sick, a note signed by the physician indicating that you were physically unable to attend class is necessary in order to postpone the exam. A receipt from the infirmary is not a valid excuse. Any sort of excuse must be documented in some manner (prayer cards, tow truck receipts, subpoenas, etc.). You must contact the instructor prior to the exam if circumstances warrant that you cannot attend.

Grading Policy:

- Regular and punctual attendance at classes is important and required. It will contribute towards 10% of your final score.

NB: Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from class due to the observation of a major religious observance must provide notice of the date(s) to the instructor, in writing, by the second class meeting.

- Each of the three exams accounts for 25%, and each of three homeworks, 5%.

- A plus/minus grading system will be used for the course. Course letter grades will be decided based on final weighted scores as follows: 90% for A-, 75% for B-, 60% for C-, 50% for D-, 0-49% for F, and other letter grades will be assigned accordingly.

Collaboration Rules:

- Discussion of the homework between students is encouraged; however, electronically copying your classmates' work is not permitted. You may let your classmates read your solution. But under no circumstances should you email a program to your classmates or otherwise allow some of your classmates to electronically copy your program.

- Cell phones may not be used as calculators. Cell phones must be turned off at all times; this includes exams and lectures.