Matthew L. Wright
Assistant Professor, St. Olaf College

# Modern Computational Math

## Math 242 ⋅ Spring 2021

Top
Today
Bottom
Do the following before the first class:
Monday
February 15
Introduction; Mathematica basics
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
February 17
Computing the digits of $$\pi$$
Do the following before the next class:
• Watch this video, which explains why the sum of reciprocals of squares converges to $$\pi^2/6$$.
• Start the $$\pi$$ Project (due Monday Wednesday). Implement at least one of the methods for approximating digits of $$\pi$$ before Friday's class. Also look over the sample project report.
• Complete Mathematica Quiz 1 (on Moodle).
• Optional bonus: Watch this video to learn why the product formula from the Intro Mathematica assignment converges to $$\pi$$.
Friday
February 19
Computing the digits of $$\pi$$
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
February 22
Fibonacci numbers — meet in the classroom
Do the following before the next class:
• Finish the $$\pi$$ Project. Pay attention to the grading rubric in the assignment file and refer to the sample project report. Submit your notebook to the Pi Project on Moodle.
• Investigate $$F_n^2 - F_{n+1}F_{n-1}$$, where $$F_n$$ is the $$n$$th Fibonacci number. Evaluate this quantity for lots of values of $$n$$. What pattern do you observe?
Wednesday
February 24
Fibonacci identities
Do the following before the next class:
• Catalan's identity says $$F_n^2 - F_{n+r}F_{n-r} = (-1)^{n-r}F_r^2$$. Verify this for at least three values of $$r > 2$$. For each value of $$r$$, check at least 100 values of $$n$$.
• Vajda's identity says $$F_{n+i}F_{n+j} - F_nF_{n+i+j} = (-1)^n F_i F_j$$. Verify this for at least six pairs $$i,j$$. For each pair $$i,j$$, check at least 100 values of $$n$$.
• Submit a Mathematica notebook containing your verifications of Catalan's and Vajda's identities to the Fibonacci Assignment on Moodle. Please put your name at the top of your notebook. (Note that this is an Assignment, not a Project.)
Friday
February 26
Pell numbers
Do the following before the next class:
• Complete Mathematica Quiz 2 (on Moodle). This quiz covers lists, indexed variables, functions, and Modules.
• Take a look at this paper, which proves various identities involving the Pell numbers. Read through the Introduction, which gives some background about the Pell numbers. Note that Proposition 1 corresponds to our observations in class. Take a quick look at the other propositions and theorems that the authors prove.
• Begin the Pell Project, due Wednesday, March 3.
Monday
March 1
Iterated functions: Collatz conjecture
Do the following before the next class:
• Finish the Pell Project (due Wednesday). Upload your notebook to Moodle.
• Continue your investigation of sequences that arise when iterating the Collatz function or some other function. Bring observations and questions to class on Wednesday.

Extra credit opportunity: Attend either of Dr. Trachette Jackson's lectures on March 2 or 3 and answer these two questions on Moodle to earn two extra-credit points.

Wednesday
March 3
Iterated functions: logistic map and chaos
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
March 5
Iterated functions: fractals
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
March 8
Mean-median map
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
March 10
Primes
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
March 12
Prime sieves
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
March 15
Primes sieves
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
March 17
Rest Day — no class
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
March 19
Prime powers
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
March 22
Mathematics of RSA Cryptography
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
March 24
Encrypting text with RSA cryptography
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
March 26
Counting primes
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
March 29
Prime patterns and the Riemann zeta function
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
March 31
Introduction to Python
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
April 2
Yahtzee in Mathematica and Python
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
April 5
Yahtzee investigation and plotting with Matplotlib
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
April 7
Rest Day — no class
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
April 9
Trouble simulation
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
April 12
One-Dimensional Random Walks
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
April 14
Two-Dimensional Random walks
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
April 16
More Random Walks
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
April 19
Percolation
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
April 21
Percolation
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
April 23
Percolation
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
April 26
Markov chain inverse problem
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
April 28
Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
April 30
MCMC optimization: simulated annealing
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
May 3
Magic squares
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
May 5
Magic squares
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
May 7
Traveling salesperson problem
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
May 10
Traveling salesperson problem
Do the following before the next class:
Wednesday
May 12
To be announced
Do the following before the next class:
Friday
May 14
Final projects
Do the following before the next class:
Monday
May 17
Final projects
Do the following before the final exam period:
Thursday
May 20
2–4pm: Final presentations for Math 242 B
Saturday
May 22
2–4pm: Final presentations for Math 242 A