Lab Reports: MA 471-671
Fall 2017
An integral part of this course is the assigned computer labs.
For each of these
labs you are required to hand in a lab report detailing the
investigations that you have carried out. In most cases, this lab
report should include three items:
-
Collected data. You should present the data you have
collected when necessary.
This may consist of a list or table of orbits, a collection
of graphs, or a series of pictures. Please try to be reasonable about
the number of images you print. If you are asked only for the fate of orbits,
we don't need to see the entire orbit; all we need is the end result.
-
An essay describing your conclusions, conjectures, or
problems derived from this data. I expect that these essays will be
carefully written and readable. I expect correct spelling and grammar
at all times. You will be graded not only on the
mathematical content of your findings, but also on the presentation.
Please feel free to include graphs and pictures in your essays, using
different colors for the illustrations if that helps.
-
Answers to certain questions that relate to each experiment.
Often, there is no precise answer to these questions, or the correct
answer is not known by anyone. These questions are meant to
stimulate you to further thought about the subject of the lab.
All labs are due in class on the date specified.
As I often talk
about the results of the lab during the next class period, late lab
reports will not be accepted.
Resources Most of the software is available on the web at the Dynamical Systems and Technology
Project. Click on java applets to find this software.
Alternatively, you can use
a Mathematica software package
specifically developed for the labs in
this course by Sebastian Marotta, assuming you know how to use
Mathematica.
Assignments and Specific Instructions: All labs are due in
class on the date below.
To view the syllabus for this course, click
here.
For information about homeworks, click
here.
For information about a sample exam, click
here.