An introduction to modern numerical approximation techniques. Topics include floating point computation, accuracy and errors, solutions of single variable equations, interpolation, polynomial approximation, numerical differentiation and integration, methods for solving single variable equations, systems of linear equations, first order differential equations and initial value problems. MATLAB will be used in the lab class to solve problem sets.

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• Analyze the sources of errors in mathematical operations on the computer.
• Recognize major numerical methods and their merits and pitfalls.
• Calculate the computational cost of a range of numerical methods.
• Select and use software tools, based on their numerical methods, for a range of problems.
• Estimate the accuracy in approximated numerical solutions.

1. Numerical Methods for Engineers and Scientists by Joe D. Hoffman and Steven Frankel
2. Numerical Methods Using Matlab by John H. Mathews and Kurtis K. Fink