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PHYSICS 301 Theoretical Methods in Physics Spring Semester, 2008

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Course Outline	Homework	Midterm Exams
Syllabus	Homework Solutions	Final Exam
Grade	Homework Due Date	Quizzes

COURSE OUTLINE Instructor: Dr. Vik Malhotra Office: 423 Neckers Phone: 453 5166

URL: http://www.physics.siu.edu/malhotra/index.html

E-Mail Address: vmalhotra@physics.siu.edu

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Prerequisites for the Course: Physics 205A, Math 250 (grade of C or better), or consent of the instructor.

TEXTBOOK: Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences by Mary L. Boas, John Wiley & Sons, 2006 (3rd edition).

Syllabus

Tentatively the following topics will be covered during the semester:

Power Series (Chapter 1)
Complex Numbers (Chapter 2)
Determinants [a quick review] (Chapter 3)
Lines and Planes (Chapter 3)
Vectors [a quick review] (Chapter 3)
Matrices (Chapter 3)
Vector Analysis: triple products, differentiation, fields, gradients (Chapter 6)
Line Integral (Chapter 6)
Vector Calculus: Green's, divergence, and Stokes' theorems (Chapter 6)
Harmonic Motion and Fourier Series (Chapter 7)
Dirichlet Conditions (Chapter 7)
Complex Fourier Series and Even and Odd Functions (Chapter 7)
Linear First-Order Differential Equations (Chapter 8)
Second-Order Differential Equations with Zero
and Non-zero Right-Hand Side (Chapter 8)

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GRADE

HOMEWORK:The homework assignments will be posted on the web, and you are strongly encouraged to visit the Physics 301 site at least once a week. After the due date, the homework solutions will be posted either on the web or on the board (opposite Neckers 422). The homework will collectively count 10 % toward the final grade in the course.

QUIZZES:In general, there will be a quiz following the homework due date. The quiz will be over the homework assignment and will be of 10 to 15 minutes duration. I will post on the web the day when the quiz will be held. The quizzes will collectively count 35 % toward the final grade in the course.

MIDTERM EXAM: There will be one midterm exam during the semester. The exam will be over the material covered during the class. The exam will count 20 % toward the final grade in the course.

CLASS PARTICIPATION: To encourage you to regularly attend the lectures and be current with the material, your class participation will count 5 % toward your final grade.

FINAL EXAM: The final exam counts 30 % toward the final grade in the course. The final exam will be a comprehensive exam, i.e., it will be over all the topics covered during the semester.

SUMMARY:      Homework   =     10 %
                                       Quizzes     =   35 %
                                     Exam           =   20 %
                      Class Participation   =     5 %
                                            Final     =   30 %
                                            Total     = 100 %
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