Mathematical Methods of Physics I
PHYS 6124
Fall Semester 2019
- Course schedule
- ChaosBook.org/~predrag/courses/PHYS-6124-19/schedule.html
- Place and times
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Howey N210, MWF 11:15am-12:05pm
- Start
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Monday Aug 19 2019, Howey N210, 11:15am-12:05pm
- Instructor
- Predrag Cvitanović
Office: Howey W501 (office hours: Tuesday 1:30-2:30pm)
Phone: 404 487 8469
E-mail: predrag dot cvitanovic snail physics dot gatech dot edu
- TA
-
Han Liang
Office: Howey W508 (office hours: Wednesday, 11:00am - 1:00pm)
Phone: +1 401 651 4482
E-mail: han_liang snail 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.
-
Prerequisites
- Teaching method
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Three lectures
and a homework problem set per week.
- Grading
-
Homework assignments will be posted on the web every Monday and will be due
next Monday in class.
Solutions will be posted on canvas resources. You can discuss problems
with each other, but the solutions have to be executed and submitted individually.
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 through your graduate coordinator and let me know.
- Resources
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Course notes:
All lecture notes in one file
(version of Nov. 4, 2019)
-
-
There is no assigned textbook for the course. A few references we have
consulted:
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M. Stone and P. Goldbart, Mathematics for Physics
(Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2004) offers a very engaging, physics focused
approach. Get this book:)
-
G. B. Arfken and H. J. Weber, Mathematical Methods for Physicists, 6th Edition:
A Comprehensive Guide
(Academic Press, San Diego 2005), ISBN: 9780120598762.
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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.
-
Paul Goldbart's list of mathematical methods references
- 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?
- 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).