Prerequisites
How to get the most out of this course
Course Information and Syllabus
Professor: Harold T. Larson, 718 Eberhard Center, (616) 771-6753 or larsonh@gvsu.edu
Office hours: T 4:30-5:20 p.m.; other hours by appointment (contact Robin in the engineering office)
Secretary: Robin Burris, 618 EC, 771-6750.
Class hours: T 5:30-8:50 p.m., Room 512 EC
Computer Access: The student should have access to a personal computer off-campus (either at home, at work or while traveling on business, etc.) in order to complete assignments outside of class. While GVSU has well-equipped, openly available computer labs for student use outside of scheduled class times, these labs may not be convenient for the working adult. In such cases, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange for access to properly equipped computers with appropriate software.
DeVos Center Computer Lab hours: Historically, these labs have been open MTWR, F, SS.
Conditions of Computer Use: All students are to follow the GVSU and MERIT conditions of use polices available on-line at http://itweb.gvsu.edu/
Text: None required. There is a vast amount of material available on the World Wide Web. For published instructional material, you can purchase one of the many books on Microsoft Office, the Internet , and Mathcad. Such books can be purchased over the Web from Amazon.com, BarnsandNoble.com, etc.
Instructor Notes: Engineering Analysis Using Mathcad. These notes will be passed out in class, as needed.
Catalog Description: Introduction to computer usage in engineering. Focus is on contemporary computer tools and methods widely used in the practice of engineering. Topics include Internet communication and research, creation of written reports and presentations, performing mathematical analysis, manipulating and evaluating data. Two credits. Offered first-half of the semester.
The prerequisite for this course is a bachelor's degree in engineering or physical science with appropriate math, physics and engineering courses. In terms of specific knowledge and skills, we assume that you have previously learned:
1. Properties of elementary functions, including polynomials, ratios of polynomials, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions. Elementary properties of complex numbers. (a precalculus math course)
2. How to differentiate and integrate elementary functions, including polynomials, ratios of polynomials, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions. (an introductory, two semester calculus course)
3. Elementary linear algebra: how to add and subtract vectors, how to multiply vectors and matrices, how to evaluate a determinant, determine the inverse of a matrix, and solve a set of simultaneous equations. (a linear algebra course)
4. How to solve for the homogeneous and particular solutions of first and second order ordinary differential equations with constant coefficients. (a differential equations course)
5. How to create a free-body diagram for a mechanical system, and write the equations describing the system. (a calculus-level, first semester mechanics or physics course)
6. How to interpret an electrical circuit diagram and use Kirchhoff's laws to write the equations describing the circuit. (a calculus-level, second semester physics course or first semester electric circuits course)
7. How to write a computer program to implement a simple numerical method such as Euler's method for solving a differential equation or Simpson's rule for evaluating an integral. (an introductory computer programming course)
In addition to this specific knowledge, we assume that you have the tacit knowledge that goes along with it, i.e., units, dimensions, calculators, graphing data, plotting functions, etc. (the basic math and science applied to engineering that typically is learned in an engineering or physical science program).
EGR 501 is a background course for the M.S.E. program. This means that we (the faculty) believe that the material in this course is preliminary to beginning the master's program and is fundamental to engineering practice, across all disciplines (mechanical, electrical, etc.). We will therefore be stressing general methods and results with broad applicability, and at the end of the course, we will expect you, in the following topical areas, to have learned :
1. Internet concepts and usage: How to use Netscape (or Internet Explorer and other Microsoft products) to create and handle e-mail; access and create a simple web site; access and search GVSU library and Internet resources in order to work and communicate with faculty and students from home and while traveling.
2. Technical communication: How to use Mathcad, Word and PowerPoint to create and format reports and oral presentations to meet the requirements and expectations of the M.S.E. program.
3. Mathematical modeling and analysis: How to use Mathcad to construct and evaluate mathematical expressions, evaluate and plot functions, solve equations, find derivatives and integrals, solve differential equations, manipulate matrices, vectors and solve systems of equations in the course of solving physics and engineering problems.
4. Data analysis and financial modeling: How to use Excel to organize, manipulate, and present data and to formulate financial models.
Day-by-Day Schedule: This schedule lists the intended events and activities for each class meeting of the course as well as the related readings and homework assignments. Please consult this web site page frequently!
Readings: You are expected to do the reading assigned for each day before coming to class. Come to class prepared with questions from your reading.
Homework: Homework assignments will be due at the beginning of class, beginning with the second class. Except for reasons of illness or family emergency, no credit will be given for late work. You can always email me your homework assignments or post them on your web site.
Quizzes: There are four quizzes, substituting for midterm examinations. These will be taken in-class, during the class session, and will cover material from the most recent homework.
Project: In place of a final exam you will make an in-class presentation of your project during the last class period.
Grading: This course is graded on the basis of weekly homework, quizzes, activities, and a final project.
- Weekly homework 30%
- Quizzes (4) 20%
- Weekly activities 25%
- Project 25%
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Academic honesty is an integral part of the academic program in engineering sciences. Consult pp. 72-73 of the University Catalog for a discussion of academic honesty at Grand Valley. Specifically, in EGR 501:
1. You are encouraged to collaborate on homework, within certain limits. Experience as well as educational research strongly indicates that people learn best when they work together, and learn even more when they explain the course material to each other. You may discuss a homework problem with others after you have made an initial start on it by yourself. You must list the names of all collaborators on your paper. Though you may work together, when you turn in a paper with your name on it you are saying to me that the final work is yours and that you understand your solution and can explain it, to me or to the class. Copying other people¹s answers or failing to cite your study partners misrepresents the work of others as your own. This is a violation of the academic honesty principles and will have serious consequences. It is also a poor way to learn. Remember that even though you may do homework cooperatively, you work alone on the quizzes and exams, which constitute 50% of the grade.
2. Acknowledge, by means of footnotes, all sources of help outside the usual course readings. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism and violates academic honesty.
3. It is not permitted to receive aid from anyone but the professor on a quiz or exam, nor is it permissible to give aid to a classmate on a quiz or exam.
4. Groups of two will be the norm for data taking, and your report may be based only on the experimental data you take (not someone else¹s data). You will turn in individual lab reports that represent your own interpretation of the data. You should cite your partner in your report, as well as any special assistance you receive.
5. Academic honesty extends in the obvious way to library reserve books, computer resources, and other facilities associated with the course. To hoard, "borrow" without authorization, damage, or in any other way restrict the access of your fellow students to these public resources is clearly in violation of the spirit of the Honor Principle.
Maintained by Hal Larson@gvsu.edu.