ENG 06 – Lecture #1
Objectives
Learn tools to solve engineering problems
Preview engineering problem solving
Grading
Based only on work done (hw, labs, projects)
No cheating
o MOSS (Measure of Software Similarity) used to check for plagiarism
Letter grade boundaries shift
Problem Solving
Two questions:
o Data: what can you do with it?
o Answer: how can you find it?
Example Problem Solving Method:
o Known: what is specified in problem
o Find: what you need to determine
o Schematic and given data: sketch of system and how data relate to sketch
o Engineering model: mathematical model, list assumptions and idealizations
used to create model
o Analysis: reduce equations and solve with data
MATLAB
Powerful graphing calculator
Programming language
Best way to learn is to use it
Quick overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MATLAB
Great for:
o Matrix algorithms
o Rapid development
o Exploratory data analyses
o Image processing
o Instrument control
o Simulation
Not as great for:
o Iterative code (a lot of loops and repetitions)
o Parallel/distributive computing (computing a lot of code at once)
Lousy for:
o High performance code
Molecular simulations
Quantum electron dynamics simulations
Work environment of MATLAB Command window
o Enter commands to get immediate results
Workspace window
o Shows variables and their values
Command history
o Shows previous commands
Editor
o a window to modify text files/scripts
Graphics window
o Shows images/plots from programs
Document window
o Lets you view and edit data items/variables
Basic math operations
Addition: + (5+5)
Subtraction: - (6-5)
Multiplication: * (5*5)
Division: / (6/2)
Raise to power: ^ (3^2)
MATLAB Self-help Commands
help
o >> help
o short info appears in command window
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