34739 - Numerical Calculus and Teaching Software

Learning outcomes

Introduction to teaching, studying and numerically solving fundamental problems of scientific calculus, that are part of the Italian Educational Mathematics Curriculum, in the Secondary School of First and Second Degree.
At the end of the course, the student can teach how to face and solve such problems within a uniform, integrated computer algebra environment.

Course contents

Construction of lessons and exercises in the integrated environment of Mathematica.

Presentation of numerical methods for solving, via computer, some classes of problems of Mathematics and comparison with corresponding computer algebra methods, wherever allowed by the problem.

Topics addressed will cover the use of computer tools for Mathematics Education in the Secondary School of First and Second Degree.

Readings/Bibliography

• Numerical Computing with IEEE Floating Point Arithmetic, M. Overton, SIAM, 2001.
• Accuracy and Stability of Numerical Algorithms, N. Higham, SIAM 2002.
• Numerical analysis: mathematics of scientific computing, D. Kincaid, E. W. Cheney, 2nd ed., Brooks and Cole, 1996
• Numerical Linear Algebra, D. Bau, N. Trefethen, SIAM 1998.
• Afternotes on Numerical Analysis, G. W. Stewart, SIAM 1996.
• Course notes (in italian) published by Pitagora, Bologna.

Teaching methods

1. Class lectures
2. Exercises and tests
3. Seminars
4. Description of software environments for scientific computing

Assessment methods

Lab test , short report and their discussion on one of the course subjects.

Teaching tools

Course notes.
Text books available at the departmental libraries.

Office hours

See the website of Giulia Spaletta