ASTR 5770 Spring 2008 Syllabus

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ASTR 5770 Gravitational Theory (General Relativity) Spring 2008: Syllabus

Content

The APS department has agreed on a model syllabus (pdf) for Mathematical Methods.

Ordinary Differential Equations (Chs 13–18 and 27 of RHB)
- Basic theorems, boundary conditions
- Numerical methods
- Eigenfunction methods (Sturm-Liouville theory)
- Green's Functions, integral transforms
- Special Functions
Linear Algebra
- Solving A x = y
- Diagonalization
- Numerical methods
Partial Differential Equations (Chs 20 & 21 of RHB)
- Classification: elliptic, parabolic, hyperbolic, boundary conditions
- Characteristics
- Separation of variables, transforms, similarity
- Numerical methods

Problem Sets

Problem sets will be assigned (almost) every week, and will usually be due the following Monday. They are intended to be frequent, and not too long. There will be no problem sets after Fall Break.

Projects

Each of you will carry out a numerical project, and make a short presentation of it during one of the classes following Fall Break.

Grading

Grading will be weighted as follows:

Problem Sets	50%
Midterm	20%
Project & presentation	10%
Final	20%

Policies

Class and University Policies

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syllabus | timetable | problems

Updated 2008 Aug 25