3090 - Methods in theoretical physics (Fall 2017)
This class will be a smorgasbord of different mathematical tools and concepts that are essential for the study of advanced topics in physics. Syllabus: see course description.
Course text: None required. Recommended text: Arfken, Weber, Harris.
Grading and tests: There will be weekly homework assignments, two midterm tests, and a final exam. Your final grade will be based as follows: your homework grade counts 30%, each midterm counts 20%, and your final exam counts 30%.
Homework: Solving problems is the most essential part of this class. Assignments will be due on Wednesdays either in class or turned into my office (or under my door) before 4pm. See course description for late policy.
Homework assignments (due Wednesdays by 4pm):
problem set #1 - due Sept. 20th.
problem set #2 - due Sept. 27th.
problem set #3 - due Oct. 4th.
problem set #4 - due Oct. 18th.
problem set #5 - due Nov. 1st.
problem set #6 - due Nov. 6th.
problem set #7 - due Dec. 4th.
Midterms: First midterm: Wed., Oct. 11th in class. Second midterm: Fri., Nov. 17th in class.
Final exam: Mon., Dec. 11th at 7:00pm in Accolade East (ACE) 003.
Office hours: Mondays 2-3pm or by appointment. My office is Petrie room 217.
Lecture time/date/location: Life Sciences Building (LSB) Room 107, MWF, 9:30am.
Course notes:
Week 1 - Introduction to complex numbers and functions.
Week 2 - Derivatives and integrals of complex functions. Cauchy's theorem.
Week 3 - Singularities. Residue theorem.
Week 4 - Laurent expansion and applications of the residue theorem.
Week 5 - Fourier series.
Weeks 6 & 7 - Laplace transform and Green's functions.
Weeks 8 & 9 - Fourier transform.
Weeks 10-12 - Vector spaces, eigenvalue problems, and coupled systems.
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