Core100 LevelFirst SemesterMathematics & General Studies
MTH105
Calculus for Computing
Course Description
Calculus for Computing covers single-variable calculus with examples chosen from computational contexts: rates of change in algorithm performance, optimization in resource allocation, and the mathematical groundwork later needed for graphics, machine learning, and simulation courses.
Learning Outcomes
- Compute derivatives and use them to analyze rates of change in applied problems.
- Evaluate integrals and interpret them in accumulation contexts.
- Apply optimization techniques to simple resource-allocation problems.
- Connect calculus concepts to their later use in machine learning and simulation coursework.
Weekly Topics
Examines functions & limits from a practical angle, using a case drawn from real systems to motivate the concepts.
Builds directly on the previous week to extend continuity, with an emphasis on where the earlier techniques stop working.
Combines a short lecture on derivatives with an in-class exercise students carry into the week's assignment.
Focuses on common mistakes and misconceptions around rules of differentiation, using student work from the previous assignment as material.
Introduces applications of derivatives and immediately puts it to use in a small design or implementation task.
Situates optimization problems within the broader arc of the course, showing how it connects to what comes next.
Uses a guest dataset or scenario to explore mid-semester review in a setting closer to professional practice.
Introduces introduction to integration through short lectures and worked examples, building the vocabulary the rest of the course relies on.
Works through techniques of integration in a lab-driven session, with guided exercises students complete and discuss in small groups.
Covers applications of integration in depth, connecting the underlying theory to a concrete example the class builds together.
Examines sequences & series from a practical angle, using a case drawn from real systems to motivate the concepts.
Builds directly on the previous week to extend computing applications, with an emphasis on where the earlier techniques stop working.
Combines a short lecture on revision with an in-class exercise students carry into the week's assignment.
Assessment
Assignments — 15%
Practical Work — 5%
Mid-Semester — 30%
Final Examination — 50%
Prerequisite Map
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