Syllabus

ME 535 Analytical Methods

fall 2016

Instructor: Ronald Miles, Distinguished Professor and Chair, Mechanical Engineering

Office: ES 1314 (607) 777-4747
Office hours: Tuesday/Thursday 1:30-2:30
e-mail: miles@binghamton.edu
Course material will be available on Blackboard: http://blackboard.binghamton.edu

Prerequisite: ME302 or equivalent. Familiarity with Matlab.

The course covers a range of topics involving mathematical methods for solving engineering
problems. The list includes: advanced topics in multivariable calculus, linear algebra, ordinary
differential equations, Fourier series, Sturm-Liouville theory, vector calculus and partial differential
equations. Both analytical and numerical techniques will be presented and applied to solve problems
in mechanical as well as other fields in engineering.

Grade based on: Homework 10%, quizzes 60%, final exam 30%.
Quizzes will be closed notes and will typically be on material covered in the homework due the
day of the quiz. Any computer programs must include extensive comments along with written
text and equations describing your method. All plots must be properly labeled.

Suggested Reading (not required):

There are many graduate-level textbooks on engineering mathematics that may be useful as
references for this course. You are not required to purchase a text. Some suggestions:

1. Advanced Engineering Mathematics, M. D. Greenberg, 2nd edition, Prentice Hall 1998. This
book is huge. You may need a wagon to carry it around. There is also a paperback version.
2. Advanced Engineering Mathematics with MATLAB, D. G. Duffy, 3rd edition, Chapman &
Hall/CRC, 2003.
3. Foundations of Applied Mathematics, M. D. Greenberg, paperback, Dover Publications
2013.
4. Advanced Engineering Mathematics, E. Kreyszig, Wiley 1993 (many editions).

If you are not familiar with Matlab, it is recommended that you obtain an introductory text on
Matlab syntax and review the appropriate tutorials available along with the Mathworks website.

Course Learning Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
(1) Solve homogeneous & inhomogeneous, linear ODEs analytically
(2) Work with transform methods (e.g., Laplace) and special functions
(3) Employ numerical methods to solve systems of linear or nonlinear ODEs (MATLAB)
(4) Solve systems of linear equations and analyze eigenvalue problems (MATLAB)
(5) Expand piece-wise continuous functions in eigenfunction expansions
(6) Use basic results from Vector and Integral Calculus in engineering analysis
(7) Solve linear partial differential equations (PDE) by analytical techniques
(8) Apply numerical methods to solve more complex PDE problems (MATLAB)

All students are expected to abide by the Honor Code for Binghamton University and the
Watson School, which is posted on Blackboard or see the link below:

http://www.binghamton.edu/watson/about/honesty-policy.pdf