MATLAB information for Fall MATH 266A Calculus with Applications to Biology I, Section 01

MATLAB: Handheld calculators will not be used in this course, and will not be allowed on exams. But we will be making extensive use of MATLAB, which is a computer program for mathematical computing, visualization, and programming.The program is installed on computers in numerous public computing sites. A list of some of the sites may be found at the following link: (MATLAB sites). Each of the seven homework assignments for the course includes a portion to be done with MATLAB. The homework assignments are listed on the course information sheet (see link above). The seven corresponding MATLAB project are listed below. The set of skills that a student will acquire in each project is indicated.

MATLAB 1: Creating Graphs for Exercise 1.2#42
Skills include:

• defining variables and functions
• graphing a function on a specified domain
• changing the line style of a graph
• graphing more than one function on the same set of axes
• adjusting the scale of the axes of a graph
• adding labels to graphs

MATLAB 2: Sequences for Exercises 2.1#2 and 2.2#96
New skills include:

• defining arrays of numbers
• graphing a function whose domain is an array of numbers
• changing the line style of a graph to indicate a discrete data set
• telling MATLAB to display more digits
• using the up arrow and down arrow keys as a typing shortcut
• using MATLAB to produce the outputs of a recursively defined sequence

MATLAB 3: Graphs for Exercises 3.3#28 and 3.3#30d
New skills include:

• Producing graphical labels involving exponents that contain more than one character

MATLAB 4: Graph for Exercise 4.1#21
New skills include:

• using MATLAB to differentiate a function
• plotting and highlighting single points

MATLAB 5: Graph for Exercise 4.3#71
New skills include:

• getting MATLAB to display results as fractions instead of as decimals
• getting MATLAB to simplify results
• dealing with unpredictable MATLAB graph behavior
• plotting horizontal and vertical lines

MATLAB 6: Graph for Exercise 5.1#49
This project does not introduce any new skills. Instead, it asks the student to make a an appropriate graph without giving the student any particular instructions. The idea is that the student will use skills that they have learned in projects 1 through 5, and might need to review those projects in order to do this one. The graph that they make will need to have the following features:

• Three functions graphed on the same set of axes
• Some graphs solid; some dashed
• Key points highlighted with appropriately-sized dots and coordinates
• Additional graphical labels added consisting of text and mathematical symbols
• Graphical labels involving exponents that contain more than one character

MATLAB 7: Supporting Work for 5.4#22 and 5.6#16
New skills include:

• Creating functions of more than one variable
• Differentiating a function of more than one variable with respect to a particular variable
• Solving an equation
• Taking higher derivatives
• Using MATLAB to assist in performing the second derivative test.

Ohio University Links
Mathematics Department	Ohio University