MAT 370: Introduction and What to Expect

Dr. Gilbert

September 2, 2025

What Are We Here For?

What Are We Here For?

What Are We Here For?

What Are We Here For?

What Are We Here For?

What Are We Here For?

What Are We Here For?

Syllabus

Major Highlights from the Syllabus: I’ll ask you to read the syllabus, but the most important items are on the following slides.

Instructor and Office Hours

  • Instructor: Dr. Adam Gilbert

    • e-mail address: a.gilbert1@snhu.edu

    • Office: Robert Frost Hall, Room 311

    • Office Hours (please visit!):

      • Tuesdays 11:00am - 12:30pm
      • Wednesdays 9:00am - 10:30am
      • Fridays 1:00pm - 3:00pm

    • Slack for communication – see the Welcome Announcement on BrightSpace for how to join

Required Resources

  • Main Textbook: We are following Numerical Methods for Engineering with Python 3 by Jaan Kiusalaas

  • Python via Google Colab or a local Python installation is required (Colab recommended)

    • Note, I’ll assume you’ve never seen Python before and that you haven’t even written a single line of code. We’ll start from the ground (today!).
    • You’ll also use \(\LaTeX\) for typesetting mathematics, but I’ll give you a primer in that as well.

Grading Scheme

Grade Item Value
Participation 5%
Homework (~8) 40%
Unit Problem Sets / Exams (2) 40%
Final Project and Reflection 15%

Explanations of Grade Items

  • Participation: Your collaboration in developing and implementing routines for solving problems is critical to our success in this course. You’ll earn credit for that work.

  • Homework: We’ll develop our routines in class together and you’ll apply those routines to solving problems on homework assignments.

  • Unit Problem Sets: We will have two (2) unit problem sets (or exams) during our semester.

    • These will stay unit problem sets unless unauthorized collaboration with AI, websites, or people becomes a problem.

  • Final Project and Reflection: In the final weeks of the semester, you’ll complete a short project that combines reflection and application.

    • Choose a numerical method we’ve studied and apply it to a meaningful problem in a domain you care about.
    • Submit a short paper, a slide presentation, and give a brief (~7 – 10 minute) presentation explaining your work and what it means to you.

Brightspace

  • Announcements
  • Assignment Submissions
  • Gradebook
  • Go to the webpage for everything else

Course Webpage

I’ve built a webpage to organize our course content.

  • Syllabus

  • Tentative timeline

    • Links to notes (in Jupyter/Colab notebook format)
    • Assignment reminders

What’s Class Like?

  • Some lecture is going to be necessary here, but I hope it is collaborative

  • I have nearly complete sets of notes for you

    • The Python routines we need to build are scaffolded, with blanks for us to fill in

  • Generally, we’ll spend class time slowly solving one problem, identifying the steps required to solve problems of that type, and then writing Python code to implement the solution strategy.

  • You’ll use the functionality we develop in class on homework assignments and unit problem sets.

A Note on Approach to Class

  • I’m open to change in all of my courses.
  • If the structure isn’t working for you, let’s chat and see what changes we can make to improve your experience.
  • If you don’t want to tell me in person, leave an anonymous note under my office door.

My goal in this course is for all of you to learn as much about numerical methods as possible – we can’t achieve that if you don’t feel like you are benefiting from our class meetings.

A Note on AI Use

  • Large language models like ChatGPT and friends are powerful and valuable tools for increasing productivity.

  • The production you are seeking here, in coursework, is learning though – not simply churning out correct answers

  • American science fiction writer Ted Chiang says that “Using ChatGPT to complete assignments is like bringing a forklift into the weight room; you’ll never improve your cognitive fitness that way.”

    • You’ll churn out content but, within 5 minutes of speaking with someone, it will be obvious that you don’t have an actual foundation.

  • Andrew Heiss has published some thoughts about AI use, and I agree with much of what he’s said.

  • In this course, please stick to using AI for (i) troubleshooting broken python code or (ii) helping you with \(\LaTeX\).

    • You should be first-author on everything you write – code or otherwise. Please do not ask the AI to write or solve anything for you.

Let’s Get Our Hands Dirty!

Reminder: Complete the Week 1 Assignment on BrightSpace before the end of the day on Sunday!



Open our Day 1 Notebook and let’s get started.