Office Hours

MWF 4:45pm-5:30pm, or by appointment

Hopeman 406

Co-Instructor

Dr. Benjamin Storer

(benjamin.storerrochester.edu)

By appointment

Teaching Assistants

Kristen Churnetski (HEAD TA)

(kchurnetur.rochester.edu)

Wednesday, 1-2pm in the MechE TA lounge (2nd floor of Hopeman)

Michael Lavell (PhD student)

(mlavellur.rochester.edu)

Tuesday, 11am-noon in Carlson Library

Dyson Kennedy

(dkenne12u.rochester.edu)

Sunday, 3:30-4:30pm in the Physics, Optics, and Astronomy (POA) Library

Daniel Krajovic

(dkrajoviu.rochester.edu)

Friday, 9-10 am in the MechE lounge

Chad Popik

(cpopiku.rochester.edu)

Tuesday, 3-4 pm in the POA Library

Chris Ritthikarn

(pritthiku.rochester.edu)

Wednesday, 3:30-4:30pm in the Carlson library

Synopsis

This course covers the classical partial differential equations of mathematical physics: the heat equation, the Laplace equation, and the wave equation. The primary technique covered in the course is separation of variables, which leads to solutions in the form of eigenfunction expansions. The topics include Fourier series, separation of variables, Sturm-Liouville theory, unbounded domains and the Fourier transform, spherical coordinates and Legendre’s equation, cylindrical coordinates and Bessel’s equation. The software package Mathematica will be used extensively. Prior knowledge of Mathematica is helpful but not essential. In the last two weeks of the course, there will be a project on an assigned topic. The course will include applications in heat conduction, electrostatics, fluid flow, and acoustics.

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