Mathematical Methods of Physics I
PHYS 6124
Fall semester 2011
- Course schedule
- ChaosBook.org/~predrag/courses/PHYS-6124-11/schedule.html
- Place and times
-
Howey S106, TT 12:05-1:25pm
- Instructor
- Predrag Cvitanović
(there is
no TA
for the course)
Office: Howey W501 (office hours: Tuesday 1:30-2:30pm)
Phone: (404) IT STINX
E-mail: predrag dot cvitanovic snail physics dot gatech dot edu
- Course description
-
The course provides an overview of complex variables, matrix theory, perturbation theory, integral transformations, ordinary and partial differential equations with applications to various physics problems.
-
Introductory notes
-
Prerequisites
-
Course syllabus
- Textbook
-
M. Stone and P. Goldbart, Mathematics for Physics
(Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2004), ISBN: 9780521854030, offers a very engaging, physics focused
approach. Get this book. Click here
to find online retailers who sell the book. New books can be purchased at
the Barnes and Noble or the Engineer's bookstore on Marietta street.
- Teaching method
-
Two lectures
and a homework problem set per week.
- Grading
-
Homework assignments will be posted on the web every Tuesday and will be due
next Tuesday in class.
Problem sets are
looong,
do as much as you can without overdoing it.
Solutions will be posted on t-square resources. You can discuss problems
with each other, but the solutions have to be executed and submitted individually. All students are expected to comply with
the academic honor code. There will
be no exams, your performance (pass/fail) will be assessed based on the homeworks, so
day-to-day participation is very important.
-
If you need a letter grade,
arrange that thrrough your graduate coordinator and let me know.
- Questions
-
I have to skip next lecture?
Dog ate my homework?
Where are the solution sets?
What help aids can I take along?
How much programming needed?
Should I submit my code along with the
computational exercises?
- Other resources
-
G. B. Arfken and H. J. Weber,
Mathematical Methods for Physicists, 6th Edition:
A Comprehensive Guide
(Academic Press, San Diego 2005), ISBN: 9780120598762.
-
Roger Penrose,
The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe
(Knopf 2005), is an amazing and wonderfully engaging attempt to teach you the meaning
of all mathematical methods you will ever need.
-
Introductory notes
-
Course syllabus
-
Prerequisites
Paul Goldbart's
list of mathematical methods references
- Discussion site (experimental)
- groups.google.com/group/gt-chaos-course/topics
-
suggestions by students and faculty
(feel free to add your comments at any time).
- Start
-
Tuesday Aug 23 2011, 12:05 in Howey S106