CS 370 Numerical Computation
Watch a video introduction to the course on YouTube.
Objectives
In this course, simple but realistic examples of scientific computations are used to introduce basic algorithms and modern hardware and software environments for numerical computing.
Intended Audience
CS 370 is required for most CS major academic plans. Any student interested in a career in computational support of engineering or scientific applications such as CAD/CAM, graphics, or computational fluid dynamics will find this course essential.
Related Courses
Prerequisites: (One of MATH 118, 119, 128, 138, 148), (One of MATH 114, 115, 106/125, 136, 146), (One of CS 234, 241, 246); Not open to General Mathematics students.
Antirequisites: AMATH 242/341/CM 271/CS 371, CS 335, 337, ECE 204, 304
Possible Successors: CS 473, 475, 476.
Hardware/Software
Used in Course: X-window terminals, Matlab.
References
Course notes are required.
Schedule
3 hours of lectures per week. Normally available in Fall, Winter and Spring.
Outline
Case Study 1 (9 hours)
Numerical Methods: Lagrange interpolation, spline interpolation, spline representations, mono- and bi-variate data, roots of equations.
Applications: Data contouring.
Case Study 2 (9 hours)
Numerical Methods: Approximation, interpolation by Fourier series, fast Fourier transform.
Application: Time series analysis, image processing, JPEG.
Case Study 3 (9 hours)
Numerical Methods: Solution of linear systems, least squares fitting, overdetermined systems, conditioning, sparse systems.
Application: Analysis of data, i.e. running times for Gaussian elimination and measurement of floating point processor speed.
Case Study 4 (9 hours)
Numerical Methods: Solving differential equations. Error analysis, i.e. distinction between round-off and discretization errors, stability of computations.
Application: Satellite trajectories, pursuit dynamics or financial option pricing.
