Physics 311

Mathematical Methods in Physics

Fall 2018

Instructor:       Sriram Ganeshan, Marshak 313 x6085, sganeshan@ccny.cuny.edu

Class hours:     T-Th 4:00 to 5:40 Office hours:   TBA

Text: Mathematical Methods for Physicists: A Comprehensive Guide

By George Brown Arfken, Hans-Jurgen Weber, Frank E. Harris

 Prerequisites: Mathematics 39100-39200 and Physics 20700-20800

The following topics will be covered:  Linear vector spaces, Ordinary differential equations, eigenvalue problems, partial differential equations and its application to heat flow problems, special functions, complex variable theory, Probability and statistics (if time permits.).

Attempt will be made to solve some problems using numerical algorithms.

The sequence of topic covered is roughly based on:

            0. Preliminaries

              1. Linear vector spaces,

            2. Eigenvalue problems 

            3. Ordinary differential equations

            4. Partial differential equation – classification and boundary conditions

            5. Special functions

            6. Complex variable theory

            7. Probability and Statistics.

Grades in the course will be based on

             weekly problems sets -           1/3 of grade

             two in-class exams -               1/3 of grade

             final exam  -                            1/3 of grade