EMAT10100 Engineering Maths I

Lecture 1 Introduction
Dr John Terry

Department of Engineering Mathematics

1. Introduction – p. 1/17
What is Engineering Mathematics?

Question:

What is Engineering Mathematics, and why do we have

to do so much of it?

Answer:

Engineering is Mathematics, put into practice!

1. Introduction – p. 2/17
 When engineers get it wrong. . .
Tacoma Narrows bridge (USA) 1940

the worlds most flexible suspension bridge starts to

oscillate
after ∼ 1 day switches to torsional oscillation:
Aim: predict and understand unwanted instability

1. Introduction – p. 3/17
 Engineering HOT SPOT
Bristol Laboratory for Advanced Dynamical Engineering
≃ £15M.

Aim: understand the dynamics of large engineering

structures: e.g. aeroplanes

Split structure into two pieces:

Needs clever maths to work in real time

1. Introduction – p. 4/17
 Example maths applications. . .
Control of helicopter rotors (Westland Helicopters)
Rattle in car engines (Jaguar cars)
Fluctuations in lasers (Seagate Technology)
Secure communications (DERA)
Customer database analysis (Numbercraft PLC)
Intelligent web search engines (British Telecom)
Automatic diagnosis tools (Bristol Royal Infirmary)
Smoothing traffic flow (UK Highways Agency)
Predict the onset of epilepsy (NHS)

And many, many more.

1. Introduction – p. 5/17
Why aren’t we taught by ‘real’ engineers?

If you were ill, would you go to the vet?

Would you ask a plumber to do your heart surgery?
Would you let a heart surgeon mend your leaking tap?

You pay the fees. You expect the best. You get the best.
Taught to the same high standard across the Faculty,
with a common syllabus
hence you are taught together

1. Introduction – p. 6/17
What do we assume you know?
A-level Curriculum 2000
core Mathematics modules C1, C2, C3, C4
Books for A-level examination boards Edexcel, AQA,
OCR, WJEB in library if required
We assume that you have forgotten most things you
learned at school!!!
variety of grades / backgrounds means we have to
stream you
Lilac piece of paper: you are in the wrong room!!
Go to Mathematics with Maple course unit
In Enderby Lecture Theatre This Building

1. Introduction – p. 7/17
 How to study at University
We do not teach
we help and enable you to learn

You are in charge of your own learning

If you do not understand something

YOU MUST ASK FOR HELP!

At drop-in sessions 3 times a week
via email helpline
emat10100-help@bristol.ac.uk

1. Introduction – p. 8/17
Lectures: the core learning zone
3 Lectures a week
Mondays 11.10–12, 12.10–13.00
Tyndall Lecture Theatre, Physics
Wednesdays 11.10–12.00
Tyndall Lecture Theatre, Physics
No lectures weeks 7,17 (reading weeks)
4 different lecturers:
John Terry, Weeks 1-6.
Bernd Krauskopf, Weeks 8-12.
Mario di Bernardo, Weeks 13-16.
Mike Barry, Weeks 18-22.

1. Introduction – p. 9/17
 What happens in lectures?
3 lectures per week
You must take notes in lectures
(some lecturers) give bare handouts (no back
copies!)
all slides available on the web
occasional quick exercises to do there and then
We follow one textbook:
Modern Engineering Mathematics, 4th Edition,
by Glyn James
you must buy this book
no need to bring it to lectures though
but each week will be given sections to read and
exercises to do
1. Introduction – p. 10/17
What happens in the drop-in sessions?
Where? Always in room MVB 1.11a,
When? weeks 2–24 (including reading weeks)
Monday 17.10
Thursday 13.05
Friday 13.05
Who? run by trained postgraduates
if there aren’t enough postgrads there, tell us! (via
the helpline email)
How? go for specific one-to-one help (surgery mode)
sit there and do the exercises (classroom mode).

1. Introduction – p. 11/17
 How is all this assessed?
Summative assessment (for passing the unit):
20%: mid-sessional examination
Friday January 8th (this is a scheduled term date!)
80%: main summer exam
also re-assesses mid-sessional material
Formative assessment (for quick feedback):
2 in-class tests
Mondays of Weeks 5 and 15 (2nd hour)
1 assessed homework
given out in Week 18
& returned via your personal tutor

1. Introduction – p. 12/17
How University differs from school
The University examination system differs from the
modular system you are used to from school!
There is no automatic right to resit a module if you are
unhappy with the mark!
If you pass a module (even by just 1%) that is your final
mark.
If you fail a module, you are allowed 1 resit, but
invariably your mark is capped at 40%.

1. Introduction – p. 13/17
How to study maths at University
Year 1 = 120 credits
EMAT 10100 = 20 credits
University assumes you work for 40 hours a week

Time to study maths each week:

20
× 40 ≃ 7 hours
120

3 hours per week are timetabled lectures

Therefore:
You study maths 4 hours per week outside lectures

1. Introduction – p. 14/17
 Four hours of homework???!!!
Re-read the notes from lectures ∼ 30 mins
Read relevant sections of James ∼ 30 mins
Do exercises from James ∼ 2 hours
Get stuck! ∼ 15 mins
Panic! ∼ 15 mins
Get help at drop in session ∼ 30 mins

EVERY WEEK!

1. Introduction – p. 15/17
WARNING: the “week 12 phenomenon”
Hallmark of a failed end-of-year exam
I don’t like maths because I have to work at it
I studied hard for the first 6 weeks but got bored
Nevertheless I did O.K. in the mid-sessional
My classmates aren’t doing the examples anymore
I don’t like the lecturer
We have lots of coursework from other units
I can always learn this stuff at the last minute
(resitting in Sept is not fun, and some do not make it back!)

⇒ Maths is a subject you need to keep working at!

1. Introduction – p. 16/17
How do I complain / give praise?
Formal feedback sessions to lecturers
attended by student year representatives
three times per year
Helpline email
emat10100-help@bristol.ac.uk
for pointing out typos, asking stupid questions (no
substitute for drop ins), constructive criticism of
lecturer
Full details of this unit are on the web at:
http://www.enm.bris.ac.uk/admin/courses/EMAT10100.html
THIS SITE IS THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE OF INFO
not your department handbook, tutor, or other
students
1. Introduction – p. 17/17