M10 Course Orientation

A video overview is available.

What is Mathematica?
Mathematica is the most powerful global computation system which was first released in 1988. Although the M10 course will focus on using Mathematica for mathematical computations and graphing, it is actually much more powerful than that. Mathematica is used at colleges and corporations throughout the world to do modeling, simulation, visualization, development, documentation and deployment.

Class Organization
The M10 Course is a hybrid course which means that students will be required to attend two class meetings, and the rest of the time will be self-paced. The course is divided into five modules, and a project which complements each module must be completed by the scheduled due date. The first class meeting will be an orientation, and the second class meeting will be a final exam. The class meetings, as well as your individual work for this course must take place in the CFT Building, Room T105. This will be the only computer lab in the College where both Mathematica and the M10 course will be available. The lab is available Monday through Friday.

Important Dates (tentative dates)
. . . . . . . . . . Contact ron.bannon@mathography.org if you need access to the linked files below. . . . . . . . . . .

• Orientation – Tuesday, February 22, 2011
• Project #1 Due – 03/01/2011
• Project #2 Due – 03/08/2011
• Project #3 Due – 03/15/2011
• Project #4 Due – 03/22/2011
• Project #5 Due – 03/29/2011
• Final Exam – 04/11/2011 in T105 from 2:30--3:50. This will be proctored, but you can use notes.

Grades You can access your grades online at www.engrade.com. To register follow these steps:

1. Lei Shi will give you a code/instructions during orientation.
2. Please contact Ron Bannon if you experience problems creating an account.

Your grades will be calculated as follows:

• 5 Projects (15% each)
• Final Exam (25%)

If you earn at least a 75% cumulative grade you will receive a certificate of completion.

Course Outline

• Course Objective: This short course is designed to provide a self-paced training experience with all of the basic features of Mathematica that students commonly use.
• Target Audience: The course is for students who currently have little or no experience with Mathematica. However, students should have some experience with college level mathematics.
• Delivery Type: The course is delivered as a set of screen casts (videos) with accompanying electronic notebooks. Course topics are presented with alternating sessions of lectures and exercises. You are expected to watch the screen cast, read and work through the notebooks and then work on exercises provided at the end of each notebook.
• Course Materials: Each attendee will be provided with access to the course materials in Mathematica notebook format on ECC computers. All work can be completed on select computers in the T105 computer laboratory, or if a student wishes, both Mathematica and the M10 course materials can be purchased on Wolfram's website which will allow students to work on their own machines.
• Prerequisites: Course attendees are expected to have experience with common features of modern computer software and have college level mathematical skills.

Syllabus—This course is organized into five topics:

1. Introduction: Step by step instruction on performing basic operations, building up computations, and navigating the user interface, as well as a description of how to navigate and take full advantage of the documentation system
2. Visualization and Graphics: Two- and three-dimensional plotting, plotting data, using options, and creating dynamic and interactive graphics
   
3. Math and Science: Introduction to computation, including polynomial operations, solving equations, functions from calculus, and simplification
   
4. Programming: Introduction to the Mathematica programming language, with emphasis on familiar programming tasks involving procedural, functional, and rule-based styles of programming
   
5. Working with Data: Importing and exporting data and external files, and instruction on working with Mathematica's built-in computable data sources

For those students who have never used Mathematica it is suggested that you watch the following screencast before starting the M10 course.

• Hands On Start, Part I

Now, you're ready to start watching the M10 videos which are available on select computers in the T105 lab. Bring your headphones! If you're having trouble, you can contact (see right sidebar) Lei Shi. Also, if you prefer working at home you can purchase both Mathematica and the M10 courseware on the Wolfram website. Do each video and assignment (see right sidebar) in the order presented, and please contact us (see right sidebar) if you have any questions or concerns.

How to submit your assignments . . .

Each of the five sections will have an assignment for you to complete. You need to submit your assignments electronically as follows.

You need to email a copy of your Mathematica notebook to m10@mathography.org. You should name your file using this convention: lastname.firstname.project.0#.nb where the # represents the assigment number.

Late submissions will be penalized!

Forum . . .

I am hopeful that this site and online course will facilitate a better understanding of how Mathematica can be used to do mathematics. Please get involved and help others join in. Leave a comment---we all need to know who's on board . . .