MATH 3705*A Fall 2024 Course Outline

Last updated: Sept 4, 2024.

Mathematical Methods I
Instructor: Dr. Elena Devdariani
Contact: Office: 4350 HP; Email: elenad@math.carleton.ca
Office hours: by appointment. Please email the instructor to schedule.
Textbook: Mathematical Methods and Boundary Value Problems, Sixth Edition, by S.
Melkonian. A hard copy or an e-book may be purchased at the Campus Bookstore.
Lectures: In person, begin on Wednesday, September 4, and then every Wednesday and
Friday 8:35 - 9:55 am, in AT 102 (Azrieli Theatre).
Tutorials: In person, begin on Friday, September 13. A Teaching Assistant (TA) will be
present, to answer questions and to administer the tests. The class is subdivided into the
tutorial groups alphabetically, according to the last names. It is absolutely necessary that
the students attend the tutorial groups they assigned to, as the number of test papers is
limited to the number of students in each group. The subdivision, the classrooms and the
TAs for this course are:
Section A1: [A - D], room SA 316, Guillaume Proulx, guillaumeproulx@cmail.carleton.ca
Section A2: [E - K], room SA 318, Aidan O’Shea, AIDANOSHEA@cmail.carleton.ca
Section A3: [L - Rh], room SA 317, George Ghafari, georgeghafari@cmail.carleton.ca
Section A4: [Ri - Z], room SA 404, Nader St-Amant, naderstamant@cmail.carleton.ca

Evaluation:
(1) Term Mark 45% (4 tests, 3 best count)

(2) Final Examination 55%.

Term mark : There will be four tests in the regular tutorial hours on September 27,
October 18, November 8 and 22. Students are expected to take all four tests; the best
three will be counted. There will be ABSOLUTELY NO make-up tests as we do not
have the resources to provide such services. This is the reason why the students are allowed
to miss one test without penalty. The instructor will not answer any emails from
the students asking about the possibilities of make-up tests. In case when a student
misses more than one test due to illness (supported by a doctor note) jury duty or extreme
personal misfortune, the term mark may be pro-rated. It is each student’s responsibility to
collect the marked tests from the TA. The test papers are normally distributed in the tutorial
session following the date of the test.
Final Examination: This is a 3-hour exam scheduled by the University. The exam
is taking place during the period of December 9 to 21 (including weekends). It is each
student’s responsibility to be available at the time of the examination. In particular, no
travel plans should be made until the examination schedule is published. It is each student’s
responsibility to find out the correct date and time of the exam and the room where it takes
place. To pass this course, a student must obtain at least 50% of total and at least 30% of the
final exam mark. Students who missed the examination may be eligible for a deferred exam,
provided that they present a doctor note or another supporting document to the Registrar’s
Office. It is the Registrar’s Office (not the course Instructor!) which makes the decision of
granting a deferred examination. After the deferred exam is written, all questions should be
directed to the School of Mathematics and Statistics and not to the Instructor.
Calculators: Non-programmable calculators are allowed for tests and the exam.
Academic Accommodation: You may need special arrangements to meet your academic
obligations during the term because of disability, pregnancy or religious obligations. You can
visit the Equity Services web site to view the policies and to obtain more detailed information
on academic accommodation at http://carleton.ca/equity/accommodation
Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: The Paul Menton Centre
for Students with Disabilities (PMC) provides services to students with Learning Disabil-
ities (LD), psychiatric/mental health disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), chronic medical conditions, and impairments
in mobility, hearing, and vision. If you have a disability requiring academic accommoda-
tions in this course, please contact PMC at 613-520-6608 or pmc@carleton.ca for a formal
evaluation. If you are already registered with the PMC, contact your PMC coordinator to
send me your Letter of Accommodation at the beginning of the term, and no later than two
weeks before the first in-class scheduled test or exam requiring accommodation (if applica-
ble). Please consult the PMC website for the deadline to request accommodations for the
formally-scheduled exam (if applicable).
Feeling sick? Remaining vigilant and not attending work or school when sick or with
symptoms is critically important. If you feel ill or exhibit COVID-19 symptoms do not come
to class or campus. If you feel ill or exhibit symptoms while on campus or in class, please
leave campus immediately. In all situations, you must follow Carleton symptom reporting
protocols
Masks: Carleton has paused the COVID-19 Mask Policy, but continues to strongly rec-
ommend masking when indoors, particularly if physical distancing cannot be maintained. It
may become necessary to quickly reinstate the mask requirement if pandemic circumstances
were to change.
Vaccines: Further, while proof of vaccination is no longer required as of May 1 to attend
campus or in-person activity, it may become necessary for the University to bring back proof
of vaccination requirements on short notice if the situation and public health advice changes.
Students are strongly encouraged to get a full course of vaccination, including booster doses
as soon as they are eligible, and submit their booster dose information in cuScreen as soon
as possible. Please note that Carleton cannot guarantee that it will be able to offer virtual
or hybrid learning options for those who are unable to attend the campus.
All members of the Carleton community are required to follow requirements and guidelines
regarding health and safety which may change from time to time. For the most recent
information about Carleton’s COVID-19 response and health and safety requirements please
see the
University’s COVID-19 website and review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Should
you have additional questions after reviewing, please contact covidinfo@carleton.ca.

List of topics:

1 The Laplace Transform, Lectures 1 − 5

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Further Properties and Initial-Value Problems
1.3 Convolutions and Generalized Functions

2 Series Solutions of Ordinary Differential Equations, Lectures 6 − 10

2.1 Basic Concepts
2.2 Solutions About Ordinary Points
2.3 Solutions About Regular Singular Points
2.3.1 Cauchy-Euler Equations
2.3.2 The General Equation y” + p(x)y 0 + q(x)y = 0
2.3.3 Bessel’s Equation

3 Fourier Series, Lectures 11 − 12

3.1 Periodic Functions
3.2 Functions Defined on Finite Intervals

4 Partial Differential Equations, Lectures 13 − 17

4.1 The Heat Equation
4.1.1 The Bar with Zero Boundary Conditions
4.1.2 The Bar with Nonzero Boundary Conditions
4.1.3 The Bar with Insulated Ends

4.2 The Wave Equation

4.3 Laplace’s Equation
4.3.1 Solutions Within Rectangular Regions, Polynomial Solutions
4.3.2 Regions with Circular Boundaries, Solutions Inside a Circle, Solutions Outside a Cir-
cle, Solutions Within an Annulus

5 Sturm-Liouville Problems, Lectures 18 − 21

5.1 Regular and Periodic Problems
5.1.1 General Theory
5.2 Singular Problems
5.2.1 Bessel’s Equation
5.2.2 The Vibrating Membrane

6 The Fourier Transform, Lectures 22 − 24

6.1 Fundamental Properties
6.2 Applications
6.2.1 Partial Differential Equations, The Heat Equation on (−∞, ∞)

Exercises
Section 1.1: 1-7
Section 1.2: 1-23
Section 1.3: 1-10
Section 2.1: 1-3
Section 2.2: 1-11
Section 2.3: 1-14
Section 3.1: 1-8
Section 3.2: 1-14
Section 4.1: 1-9
Section 4.2: 1-5
Section 4.3: 1-11
Section 5.1: 1-13
Section 5.2: 1-14
Section 6.1: 1-22
Section 6.2: 1-4