Syllabus
for Physics 373 –Fall 2015
(Check here
frequently for important announcements related
to the course)
Official Course
Description: Title: Mathematical
Methods for Physics II Credits: 3; Grade Method: REG/P-F/AUD;
Prerequisite: PHYS273
and 274 (or equivalent); Topics: This is a second course in mathematical methods for physics. Topics include
Fourier Analysis; Power Series Solution of
Differential Equations; Partial Differential Equations; Complex Analysis and
(time permitting) Green’s Function Method Applied to Ordinary Differential
Equations.
Instructor: Professor Kaustubh Agashe Phone: (301)-405-6018
Office (note different building than lecture!): Room
3118 of
Office Hours (note locations and days carefully): Tuesday 2.00-3.00 pm. in Rm. 1304 of Toll building (this will be sort of an informal discussion session, i.e., you are not required to attend it, but it will be useful to do so!) and Thursday 3.00-4.00 pm. in Rm. 3118 PSC. It might be possible to have office hours at other times by appointment.
Teaching Assistant: Donggeun Tak [email: takdg123_at_gmail.com; office: Rm 3101 of Toll building; Phone: (301) 219-0836]; Office hours (note locations and days carefully): Monday 3.00-4.00 pm. in Rm 3101 of Toll building and Wednesday 12.00- 1.00 pm. in Rm. 1304 of Toll building (this will be sort of an informal discussion session, i.e., you are not required to attend it, but it will be useful to do so!). It might be possible to have office hours at other times by appointment.
Lecture
Time: 11:00 am.-12:15
pm. on Tuesday and Thursday
Lecture
Room: Room
1204 of Toll Physics Building
Required
Textbook: Mathematical Methods in Physical Sciences by Boas
Recommended
textbook: A Guided Tour of Mathematical Methods by Snieder
Homework: The homework assignments (problem sets) will generally be
assigned here on Tuesdays, and should be handed in class the following
Thursday or in folder outside Room 3118 of PSC by 5 pm..
Late homework will be accepted at the discretion of the instructor (in
particular, a valid documented excuse such a medical problem, religious
holiday, or serious family crisis is required), but not after solutions have
been handed out.
No homework will be dropped for any reason. For full credit for any written homework or
exam problem,
in addition to the correct answer, you must show the
steps/justify your approach as much as possible.
Solutions to homework (and exams) will be posted here.
Exams: There will be 2 exams given during the lecture periods (1
hours 15 minutes in length). Both exams will contribute to the final grade for
the course. Tentatively, these are scheduled for October 13 (Tuesday) and
November 19 (Thursday). The final exam will be given during the standard exam
period (8.00-10.00 am. on Monday, December 14). You must take the final exam to
pass the course. There will be no
make-up for the exams, unless there is a strong documented excuse (medical
problem, religious holiday, or serious family crisis).
Details such as which topics will be covered in each exam,
whether crib sheets will be allowed etc. will be posted later.
Grade: The semester grade will be based on the homework, in-class
exams and the final exam
with the following tentative weights: 2 in-class exams: 50%, homework: 15%,
final exam: 35%
Attendance: Regular attendance and
participation in this class is the best way to grasp the concepts and
principles being discussed. Please try to attend every class and to read up the relevant
chapter(s) of the textbook before coming
to the class.
Some class notes will be posted here.
Academic Honesty: Note that,
although you are encouraged to discuss homework with other students, any work
you submit must be your own and should reflect your own understanding. In fact,
the
main way you will understand Physics (and thus do well on the exams) is by
doing the homework (that too by yourself).
In addition, academic dishonesty, such as cheating on an exam or copying
homework, is a serious offense which may result in suspension or expulsion from
the University.