Mathematical tools for the Physical Sciences

Instructor: Vera Serganova
Email address: serganov@math
  • webpage:http://math.berkeley.edu/~serganov
  • Phone Number: 642-2150
  • Office hours: M,W 11:30-1:00 in 709 Evans
  • Text: M.L. Boas, Mathematical methods in physical sciences (third edition)
  • Homework: Each Friday a problem assignment (from the textbook) will be posted. The homework will be collected the next Friday. Late homework will not be accepted.
  • Exams: There will be two midterms on Wednesday, October 1 and on Wednesday, November 5 during usual class hours.
  • Final Exam is on Saturday, December 13, 8:00-11:00 .
  • Grading policy: Your grade will be computed according to the following proportions: 20% for your homework, 20% for each midterm and 40% for the final.
  • Course outline
  • Review of series and power series (Chapter 1)
  • Complex numbers (Chapter 2)
  • Partial Differentiation (Chapter 4)
  • Functions of a complex variable (Chapter 14)
  • Fourier series and transforms (Chapter 7)
  • Laplace transform and Green functions (Chapter 8)
  • Calculus of variations (Chapter 9) (if time permits)

    • Homework assignment

  • Week 1 (Due 9/5) Sections 1.1-1.7. Problems: 1.8, 1.12, 1.14, 2.5, 2.8, 2.9, 4.4, 4.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.5, 6.17, 6.20, 6.33, 7.10.