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PH10007: Mathematics for scientists 1

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2015/6
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Physics
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: EX 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Examination (EX 100%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: PH10007 - Mandatory Extra Work (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Students must have A-level Mathematics to undertake this unit.
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
The aim of this unit is to introduce basic mathematical techniques required by science students, both by providing a reinterpretation of material already covered at A-level in a more general and algebraic form and by introducing more advanced topics.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* sketch graphs of standard functions and their inverses;
* evaluate the derivative of a function and the partial derivative of a function of two or more variables;
* write down the Taylor series approximation to a function;
* represent complex numbers in Cartesian, polar and exponential forms, and convert between these forms;
* calculate the magnitude of a vector, and the scalar and vector products of two vectors;
* solve simple geometrical problems using vectors.

Skills:
Numeracy T/F A, Problem Solving T/F A.

Content:
Functions of a real variable (3 hours): Graphs of standard functions (polynomial, exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric and hyperbolic). Domains and ranges. Composite functions. Inverse functions. Symmetries and transformations (reflections, rotation) of graphs.
Differentiation (9 hours): Limits and continuity, differentiability. Review of differentiation. Higher derivatives, meaning of derivatives. Graphical interpretation of derivatives. Logarithmic, parametric and implicit derivatives. Taylor and Maclaurin expansions, standard series. Convergence of series; ratio test, limits, L'Hopital's rule. Numerical differentiation. Functions of two variables. Partial differentiation. Taylor expansion in two variables. Chain rule. Small changes and differentials, total derivative.
Complex numbers (4 hours): Definition and algebra of complex numbers in x+iy form. Complex conjugate. Modulus and argument. Argand diagram, r exp(iθ) form. De Moivre's theorem. Solution of equations involving complex variables.
Vector algebra (6 hours): Introduction to vectors; physical examples of scalar and vector quantities. Magnitude of a vector, unit vector. Cartesian components. Scalar product; projections, components, physical examples. Vector product; determinantal form for Cartesian components, physical examples. Vector definitions of lines and planes. Triple product. Introduction to vector spaces.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PH10007 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Physics
  • USPH-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Physics (Year 1)
  • USPH-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • USPH-AFM02 : MPhys(Hons) Physics (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKM04 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Professional and Research Placements (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKM03 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • USPH-AFM04 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Research placement (Year 1)
  • USPH-AAM03 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USPH-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics (Year 1)
  • USPH-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • USPH-AFM10 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKM11 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Professional and Research Placements (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKM10 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • USPH-AFM11 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Research placement (Year 1)
  • USPH-AAM10 : MPhys(Hons) Physics with Astrophysics with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USPH-AFB05 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Computing (Year 1)
  • USPH-AAB06 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Computing with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • USPH-AKB06 : BSc(Hons) Physics with Computing with Year long work placement (Year 1)

PH10007 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Chemistry Programmes in Natural Sciences
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences with Study year abroad (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences with Year long work placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences with Professional Placement (Year 1)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences with Study year abroad (Year 1)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2015/16 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2016/17 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2015/16.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.