Introduction to Languages for Scientific Computing --- 2012-13

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of numerical linear algebra, programming languages, algorithms.



Overview

The goal of the course is to provide the students with tools to 1) achieve effective prototyping through high-level languages, and 2) write high-performance programs in C and/or Fortran. In this respect, programs will be evaluated with respect to metrics like performance, readability, elegance.
We will discuss programming languages and tools especially suitable for numerical & symbolic computations, data visualization, and high-performance computations. The focus will be on Matlab, Mathematica and C; no prior knowledge of these languages is required. We will also cover standard computational tools and Fortran-based libraries like BLAS and LAPACK.
The course is hands on. The students are expected to solve (and compete on) simple programming assignments and to present approach & results in front of the class.



Tentative syllabus

Introduction History of languages
Matlab
Floating point arithmetic
Conditioning
Mathematica
Maps, functions
Fixed & high-precision numbers; symbols
Imperative vs. functional programming
Data visualization
C
Performance
Numerical libraries



• Winter semester 2012-13.


• CAMPUS #: 12ws-14775


• Exam I: Thursday, February 14, 5-7.30pm.
  
  Exam II: Thursday, March 14, 5-7.30pm.


• Lectures & Exercises:
  Tuesdays, 17.00-18.30 (lecture)
  Thursdays, 17.00-18.30 (lecture + exercise)
  Rogowski 115 - AICES seminar room (Schinkelstrasse 2)


• Office hours: Tuesdays, 11am-1pm
  AICES R432 (Rogowski Building - Schinkelstrasse 2)



Schedule

• October, Thursday 11; [Intro]


• October, Tuesday 16; Floating Point Arithmetic [Lecture 1]


• October, Thursday 18; Programs & Programming Languages [Lecture 2]
  History of Programming Languages [Poster]


• October, Tuesday 23; Matlab, part 1 [Lecture]
  The session [diary]


• October, Thursday 25; Floating points & Matlab, exercises.
  The session [diary]


• October, Tuesday 30; Matlab, part 2 (functions).
  The session [diary]
  
  


• November, Tuesday 6; Matlab, examples.
  The session [diary] [examples]


• November, Thursday 8; Matlab, visualization [archive]
  copyright/licensing


• November, Tuesday 13; HW1
  Mathematica; [Notebook], [diary]


• November, Thursday 15; Mathematica
  [Notebook]
  
  


• November, Tuesday 20; Mathematica, programming styles, patterns.
  [Notebook]


• November, Thursday 22; HW2
  Mathematica, how to use patterns.
  [Notebook]


• November, Tuesday 27; Pure functions, Mapping.
  [Notebook]


• November, Thursday 29; Map*, Replacement Rules.
  [Notebook]


• December, Tuesday 4; visualization.
  [Notebook]
  
  


• December, Thursday 6; Numerical computations [Notebook]
  Programming. Sound [Notebook]


• December, Tuesday 11; Python. (not in the final exam)


• December, Thurday 13; Python. (not in the final exam)
[github]

• December, Tuesday 18; Solution of HW3, exercises.


• January, Tuesday 8; C, part 1.
  [Archive]


• January, Thursday 10; C, linking, libraries; Makefiles.
  [Archive]


• January, Tuesday 15; C, part 3.
  [Archive]


• January, Thursday 17; C, part 4.
  [Archive]


• January, Tuesday 22; C, part 5.
  [Archive]
  
  


• January, Thursday 24; C, wrapping up.
  [typedef], [structs]


• January, Tuesday 29; licensing, final exam discussion.


• January, Thursday 31; HW4, final exam discussion.


• Exam I: Thursday, February 14, 5-7.30pm.


• Exam II: Thursday, March 14, 5-7.30pm.