| Unit name | Calculus of Variations |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MATHM0015 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2D (weeks 19 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Slastikov |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Calculus 2, ODE2 |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Mathematics |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Unit aims
To introduce students to calculus of variations and use it to solve basic problems arising in physics, mathematics and materials science.
General Description of the Unit
Calculus of Variations is an important branch of optimization that deals with finding extrema of the functionals in certain functional spaces. It has deep relation with various fields in natural sciences, including differential geometry, ordinary and partial differential equations, materials science, mathematical biology, etc. It is one of the oldest and yet one of the most used tools for investigation of the problems involving free energy. The aim of this course is to present the basics of the calculus of variations, including 1D theory and its application to various problems arising in natural sciences.
Further unit details are available at: http://www.maths.bris.ac.uk/study/undergrad/
After taking this unit, students will:
15 lectures with 4 homeworks
100% Examination.
Raw scores on the examinations will be determined according to the marking scheme written on the examination paper. The marking scheme, indicating the maximum score per question, is a guide to the relative weighting of the questions. Raw scores are moderated as described in the Undergraduate Handbook.
I M Gelfand and S V Fomin, Calculus of Variations, Prentice-Hall Bruce van Brunt, The Calculus of Variations, Dover
