PHYC 366  Mathematical Methods of Physics   Fall 2017

General information          Course overview          Syllabus          Tentative schedule          Problems and Assignments          Exams

Course overview

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to two important areas of mathematical physics, linear algebra and partial differential equations (PDEs), because of their ubiquitous applications to physical problems in mechanics, E&M, and quantum mechanics at the upper-division undergraduate level. This class will provide a physics-based coverage of these mathematical areas in contrast to the more traditional linear algebra and PDE classes offered by the Mathematics department. The course prerequisites are officially PHYC 290 and MATH 316 (otherwise, students may discuss their enrollment with the instructor). The course is suitable for undergraduate students (mainly the physics and astrophysics majors) to prepare their mathematical background needed to tackle junior and senior level physics classes, based on the foundational concepts of complex numbers, vector analysis, and ordinary differential equations.

We adapt modern pedagogy of active learning in classroom. It is quite important to do exercise, in order to digest notions and methods learned in the lectures. Furthermore, the problems of homework assignments will be selected largely from the exercises of the textbook in accordance with the progress of lectures. The final grade will be determined based on performance of exams and assignments (their weights are 70 % and 30 % respectively, for now). Each mid-term exam is arranged after a couple of chapters are completed. That is how you can study rather narrow, clearly-defined selections of materials for every exam, while they are still fresh in your mind. Overall it is expected that your learning is more effective and at the same time the load by the course is less stressful this way.