Introduction to Numerical Methods and Matlab Programming for Engineers

Abstract

These notes were developed by the first author in the process of teaching a course on applied numerical methods for Civil Engineering majors during 2002-2004 and was modified to include Mechanical Engineering in 2005. The materials have been periodically updated since then and underwent a major revision by the second author in 2006-2007.

The main goals of these lectures are to introduce concepts of numerical methods and introduce Matlab in an Engineering framework. By this we do not mean that every problem is a “real life” engineering application, but more that the engineering way of thinking is emphasized throughout the discussion. In these lecture notes, instruction on using Matlab is dispersed through the material on nu- merical methods. In these lectures details about how to use Matlab are detailed (but not verbose) and explicit. To teach programming, students are usually given examples of working programs and are asked to make modifications.