What To Expect on Final Exam

The final exam will cover topics discussed since the midterm.

Final exam questions will be drawn primarily from the following sections of the reading:

For each of the bullet items above, there will be roughly one question, except two or three questions on chapter 11, and two or three on wavelets. You are also urged to review the lecture notes, of course.

Exam questions will stress conceptual understanding primarily. Knowing the definitions of key concepts and the strengths and weaknesses of various methods is more important, to me, than memorizing formulas. When and if detailed, advanced formulas are needed for a problem (e.g. defn. of a Fourier Transform, wavelet refinement equation, convergence rate of conjugate gradients, formulas for conjugate gradients), they will be provided. You are, however, expected to have memorized more elementary formulas and facts, e.g. the basic formula for function representation using basis functions, Euler's method, Taylor series, computational cost of Gaussian elimination, moment formula, ...

Exam will be closed book, closed notes, no computer. Calculators will not be needed.

15-859B, Introduction to Scientific Computing
Paul Heckbert, 9 Dec. 2000, minor revision 10 Dec.