Math 142: Mathematical Modeling
MWF 9:00am, MS 6229
Instructor
Scott McCalla
Assistant Adjunct Professor
Office: 7380 Math Sciences Building
Office Hours: M 10:00-11:00, W 8:30-9:00, 10:30-12:00
Email: smccalla _ AT _ ucla _ DOT _ edu
Phone: 1-310-825-9369
Teaching Assistant (office hours)
- Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Prerequisites: courses 32B, 33B. Introduction to fundamental principles and spirit of applied mathematics. Emphasis on manner in which mathematical models are constructed for physical problems. Illustrations from many fields of endeavor, such as the physical sciences, biology, economics, and traffic dynamics.
-
Syllabus
Exams
- Midterm Exam: 29 October 2012, in class
- Final Exam: 14 December 2012, 11:30am-2:30pm
Homework
Homework 1, due October 5 Solutions
34.4, 34.5, 34.14, 34.17
Homework 2, due October 12 Solutions
35.3 (a,b,c), 37.2, 37.4, 37.5, 38.3, 38.5, 39.1, 39.4
Homework 3, due October 19 Solutions
44.3, 44.5, 45.1 (a,c,n,o), 46.1, 46.4, 47.1, 49.1, 50.2
Homework 4, due October 26 Solutions
50.3, 50.4, 50.5, 50.7, 50.12, 50.13, 54.4, 54.5, 54.11, 54.12
TW1. Find traveling wave solutions for the Klein-Gordon equation utt = auxx-bu where a and b are positive constants.
TW2. Show that the profile shape f of a traveling wave solution u(x,t) = f(x-ct) of the equation utt = uxx-sin(u) must satisfy the differential equation (1-c2)f ''(z) = sin(f(z)) where z = x-ct.
Homework 5, due November 9 Solutions
57.2, 57.3, 57.6, 59.3, 60.1, 60.2, 61.3, 63.7
Homework 6, due November 16 Solutions
65.1, 66.1, 67.3, 67.5, 68.1, 69.1, 70.2, 71.5, 71.6
Homework 7, due November 30 Solutions
74.2, 77.1, 77.2, 77.3, 78.2, 78.3, 78.6, 79.3, 80.1, 72.5, 73.1, 73.2, 73.5, 73.6, 73.9
Homework 8, due December 7 Solutions
74.3, 74.4, 78.10, 82.1, 82.2, 82.11
Announcements
- Welcome to MS 142!
- My office hours during finals week will be as follows: W 12:30-1:30, R 11:00-12:00, and F 10:30-11:30. Good luck on the exam! I will not hold my regular office hours on Monday and Wednesday.
- During finals week, Hui's office hours will be on Thursday from 3:00-5:00 in room 6229; he will not hold his regular office hours. He will also hold a review session on Saturday, December 8th from 10:00-11:50 in room 6229 and office hours on Saturday, December 8th from 1:00-3:00 in his office, MS 7630.
- Our textbook is available for free on campus: Mathematical Models.
- You should be able to see your homework and exam grades on my.ucla.edu. If you cannot, please email me. Homework will be returned in class.
- Another textbook on modeling biological systems is available for free on campus: Mathematical Models in Biology.
- A useful tool for drawing phase planes and trajectories can be found here.
- Another reference on conservation laws and traffic flow is by Roger Knobel: An introduction to the mathematical theory of waves, American Mathematical Society.
- If you wish to request an accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Office for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible at A255 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1501, (310) 206-6083 (telephone device for the deaf). Website: www.osd.ucla.edu.
