Merge pull request #42 from SlaybaughLab/april

added course description for ME 280A and ENG 231 for issue #40.

general-resources/courses.md

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ variations methods, Hamilton-Jacobi equations and conservation laws
 
 ### Possibly Useful
 - 104: Introduction to Analysis
-The real number system. Sequences, limits, and continuous functions in R and R.
+The real number system. Sequences, limits, and continuous functions in R.
 The concept of a metric space. Uniform convergence, interchange of limit
 operations. Infinite series. Mean value theorem and applications. The Riemann
 integral. 
@@ -92,6 +92,21 @@ students in applied mathematics, physics, engineering or other mathematical
 sciences. The overall purpose of the course will be to develop non-numerical
 tools for understanding and approximating solutions of differential equations.
 
++ E 231: Mathematical Methods in Engineering
+This course offers an integrated treatment of three topics essential to modern
+engineering: linear algebra, random processes, and optimization. These topics 
+will be covered more rapidly than in separate undergraduate courses covering
+the same material, and will draw on engineering examples for motivation.
+The stress will be on proofs and computational aspects will also be highlighted. 
+It is intended for engineering students whose research focus has a significant 
+mathematical component, but who have not previously had a thorough exposure 
+to these topics. (F)
+
+**Note:** Good class for graduate student who hasn't had exposure to linear
+algebra, statistics, and optimization in the past. This is probably not very 
+useful for people who have already taken lots of linear algebra, statistics, 
+or optimization courses.
+
 - 273: Advanced Topics in Nuclear Methods
 
 - 275: Topics in Applied Mathematics
@@ -135,9 +150,18 @@ sorting, FFT, etc. Survey of parallel machines and machine structures. Exiting
 parallel programming languages, vectorizing compilers, environments, libraries
 and toolboxes. Data partitioning techniques. Techniques for synchronization and
 load balancing. Detailed study and algorithm/program development of medium sized
-applications. Also listed as Engineering C233
-
-- ME 280A: finite element methods
+applications. Also listed as Engineering C233. (SP)
+
+- ME 280A: Introduction to the Finite Element Method
+Weighted-residual and variational methods of approximation. Canonical 
+construction of finite element spaces. Formulation of element and global state 
+equations. Applications to linear partial differential equations of interest 
+in engineering and applied science.
+
+**Note:** Do not take both the undergraduate (ME 180) and graduate versions of
+this course, since there is a fair amount of overlap, with the graduate course
+focusing more on understanding the method and the undergraduate course more on
+using FEM software (COMSOL) for a larger variety of applications.
 
 
 ## Statistics for Monte Carlo (Math)