Questions tagged [engineering-mathematics]

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11 votes
4 answers
3k views

How can I build a protractor without a protractor?

We all know how to use a protractor; it is taught in elementary school. However, I was wondering what type of knowledge is required to build one from scratch. For instance, was the understanding of $\...
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0 votes
1 answer
117 views

What are specific set of tools Partial Differential Equations provide in studying a system? [closed]

I know what are PDEs, but I am looking to identify the major strengths of PDEs. If I have to convince a pool of engineers to use PDEs for solving a problem, let's say stress distribution in a body. ...
6 votes
4 answers
792 views

What is the best way to introduce Laplace transforms on an Engineering Mathematics course?

Are there any practical applications of Laplace transform? I would not use Laplace transforms to solve first, second-order ordinary differential equations as it is much easier by other methods even if ...
  • 1,235
2 votes
1 answer
191 views

How and what to teach on a second year Engineering Mathematics?

In the late 80’s and early 90’s there was the idea of ‘calculus reform’ and some emphasis and syllabus changed. The order of doing things in calculus also changed with the advantage of technology. ...
  • 1,235
0 votes
3 answers
329 views

How can I visualize differential equations and Integration in real life?

How can we understand differential equations and Integration in real life so that we can understand calculus easily. All we do here, at university level is memorize calculus and get the answer. We ...
6 votes
4 answers
713 views

Teaching Mathematics to a Machine Learning Class

How and what mathematics must be taught for training engineering students with the mathematics required for Machine Learning? How can one conduct training of mathematics required for application-...
  • 243
2 votes
4 answers
601 views

Is it necessary to teach the definition of a limit for engineering majors? [closed]

I have always wondered whether it is necessary or not. For me, it seems that it is enough to teach them the intuitive idea, that is, limit is just an approximation of a certain process. what do you ...
  • 121
7 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why does a first course in linear algebra teach QR-decomposition?

I am teaching a "linear algebra for engineers" course, and am currently building my lectures on Gram-Schmidt, QR-decomposition and least squares equation solving. $\bullet$ I can motivate ...
3 votes
6 answers
384 views

What do I study in calculus beyond the minimum required for undergraduate engineering?

I am majoring in aerospace engineering. I love math a lot, especially calculus. I have a lot of free time right now and I want to learn more stuff in calculus that would be helpful for my major but I ...
0 votes
2 answers
93 views

Need to learn recurrence relation discrete mathematics [closed]

Which is the best tutorial available online to learn the recurrence relation concept and its solution in discrete mathematics, in a systematic way?
3 votes
1 answer
116 views

Applied ODEs for Numerical Methods

I am looking for a list of ODEs to use as examples in the teaching of a numerical methods course for engineers. I am looking for first and second order examples - the more applied (to engineering) ...
4 votes
4 answers
303 views

Introducing derivative concept and definition

I need to give a short presentation on introducing a class of engineering students to the concept and definition of the derivative. I'm to assume that the students are currently at the appropriate ...
  • 183
5 votes
1 answer
250 views

Polar form before Cartesian form when introducing complex numbers

When I teach complex numbers to undergraduate engineering students, I invariably start, as appears to be customary, with $a + bi$ (or $a + bj$ for electrical engineers) and then follow up with the ...
  • 4,546
4 votes
3 answers
376 views

Teaching science and engineering students the field of inverse problems

There is a Mathematics Stack Exchange question on a good book on inverse problems for engineers. Here, I would like to ask for suggestions on how to approach teaching undergraduate upper-division ...
  • 4,546
3 votes
3 answers
336 views

English book for math for (electrical) engineering similar to German "Higher Mathematics"

Many universities in Germany have special math courses for engineers. These courses are often called "Höhere Mathematik" (higher mathematics) or "Ingenieursmathematik" (engineering mathematics). The ...
  • 2,962
10 votes
2 answers
157 views

How to incorporate optional higher level mathematical content in an Engineering Maths course?

Our department teaches two very large first-year "Mathematical Methods" courses (600-ish students) to Engineering students. The syllabus is dictated by their (future) needs and covers a huge array of ...
6 votes
2 answers
179 views

Mathematics that can be worked into 8th grade engineering course

I have a section of 8th grade engineering/mathematics. The class is meant to be a support/enrichment environment rather than instructional, they have a separate math teacher for pre-algebra/algebra. ...
  • 4,900
20 votes
4 answers
912 views

Applications and motivation of abstract linear algebra topics for engineers

This semester I'm teaching introductory linear algebra for engineering students, and I don't think I'm doing a good job explaining why these topics are important; specifically, everything having to do ...
  • 655
17 votes
3 answers
935 views

Differential forms in mechanics?

I teach mechanics (including large deformation and flow of continua) to mechanical engineering students and have a continuing mission to drag the teaching of mechanics into the 20th century (I'll ...
  • 421
7 votes
2 answers
263 views

Are there more modern or computation oriented applications of complex analysis in science and engineering?

No doubt that complex analysis is a tremendously useful with plenty of applications in engineering and physics. Common raw applications of complex analysis includes: evaluation of ordinary and ...
  • 429
12 votes
6 answers
1k views

Reference requests: Is there a text that is even more advanced than books on "advanced engineering mathematics"

Advanced engineering mathematics is a subject of its own, building up from simple notions of functions, series, integration techniques and brief review of linear algebra which leads to transform ...
  • 429
9 votes
3 answers
341 views

New math. teaching assistant facing big problems, what to start with? [closed]

I'm new math teaching assistant in faculty of engineering in Egypt. And after one term only, I found 3 big problems here: 1) There is no help in teaching me how to teach. It's up to my own skills. 2)...
3 votes
2 answers
202 views

How to teach mathematically about Fourier analysis and synthesis? [duplicate]

I have recently started teaching. It gets totally blank in front of the big crowd. Now, I am quite confused about how to start teaching the Fourier transform and Fourier series chapter. I want ...
  • 179
7 votes
4 answers
1k views

Complex analysis (Applied versus pure)

I am studying Electrical Engineering and I want to specialize in signal processing. However, I have to study complex analysis first (I am an undergraduate, so I lack some terminology). In your opinion:...
  • 301
12 votes
5 answers
578 views

What Should be there in a Single Variable Calculus course for Engineers?

Thought a little background is required. The place I teach students learn Calculus in school, not the theory but only the computational aspect. I am trying to teach Calculus to first year ...
  • 339
9 votes
0 answers
108 views

How can instructors bridge the gap between an engineering course in stochastic systems and a more rigorous Stochastic Processes course?

Systems and electrical engineering graduate students often take a course on stochastic systems (a.k.a. "Probabilistic Systems Analysis"). A typical course will present such topics as multivariable ...
  • 733
10 votes
2 answers
534 views

Linear algebra for engineers

When studying linear algebra in mathematics (I mean, for the people studying mathematics) there are many ways of approaching it, depending of your needs, however supposedly every mathematician should ...
19 votes
4 answers
2k views

Computational topology for engineers

Increasingly, I see computational topology being applied to problems involving sensor networks, robotics, data analysis, signal processing and various other areas. The topics I mention are interesting ...
  • 4,546