Calculus is one of the grandest achievements of human thought, explaining everything from planetary orbits to the optimal size of a city to the periodicity of a heartbeat. This brisk course covers the core ideas of single-variable Calculus with emphases on conceptual understanding and applications. The course is ideal for students beginning in the engineering, physical, and social sciences. Distinguishing features of the course include: 1) the introduction and use of Taylor series and approximations from the beginning; 2) a novel synthesis of discrete and continuous forms of Calculus; 3) an emphasis on the conceptual over the computational; and 4) a clear, dynamic, unified approach.
In this fifth part--part five of five--we cover a calculus for sequences, numerical methods, series and convergence tests, power and Taylor series, and conclude the course with a final exam. Learners in this course can earn a certificate in the series by signing up for Coursera's verified certificate program and passing the series' final exam.
It's time to redo calculus! Previously, all the calculus we have done is meant for functions with a continuous input and a continuous output. This time, we are going to retool calculus for functions with a <i>discrete</i> input. These are <i>sequences</i>, and they will occupy our attention for this last segment of the course. This first module will introduce the tools and terminologies for <b>discrete calculus</b>.
What's included
4 videos2 readings5 assignments
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 53 minutes
Sequences•15 minutes
BONUS!•5 minutes
Differences•17 minutes
Discrete Calculus•16 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Your Guide to Getting Started in this Course•10 minutes
How Grading Works•10 minutes
5 assignments•Total 112 minutes
Challenge Homework: Differences•30 minutes
Challenge Homework: Discrete Calculus•30 minutes
Core Homework: Sequences•30 minutes
Core Homework: Differences•12 minutes
Core Homework: Discrete Calculus•10 minutes
Introduction to Numerical Methods
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
That first module might have seemed a little...strange. It was! In this module, however, we will put that strangeness to good use, by giving a very brief introduction to the vast subjects of <b>numerical analysis</b>, answering such questions as <i>"how do we approximate solutions to differential equations?"</i> and <i>"how do we approximate definite integals?"</i> Perhaps unsurprisingly, Taylor expansion plays a pivotal role in these approximations.
What's included
2 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 34 minutes
Numerical O.D.E.s•18 minutes
Numerical Integration•17 minutes
1 assignment•Total 4 minutes
Core Homework: Numerical O.D.E.s•4 minutes
Series and Convergence Tests
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
In "ordinary" calculus, we have seen the importance (and challenge!) of improper integrals over unbounded domains. Within discrete calculus, this converts to the problem of infinite sums, or <b>series</b>. The determination of convergence for such will occupy our attention for this module. I hope you haven't forgotten your big-O notation --- you are going to need it!
This course began with an exploration of Taylor series -- an exploration that was, sadly, not as rigorous as one would like. Now that we have at our disposal all the tests and tools of discrete and continuous calculus, we can finally close the loop and make sense of what we've been doing when we Talyor-expand. This module will cover power series in general, from we which specify to our beloved Taylor series.
What's included
4 videos5 assignments
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 59 minutes
Power Series•17 minutes
Taylor Series Redux•16 minutes
Approximation and Error•17 minutes
BONUS!•9 minutes
5 assignments•Total 64 minutes
Challenge Homework: Power Series•30 minutes
Challenge Homework: Taylor Series Redux•4 minutes
Core Homework: Power Series•12 minutes
Core Homework: Taylor Series Redux•8 minutes
Core Homework: Approximation and Error•10 minutes
Concluding Single Variable Calculus
Module 5•2 hours to complete
Module details
Are we at the end? Yes, yes, we are. Standing on top of a high peak, looking back down on all that we have climbed together. Let's take one last look down and prepare for what lies above.
What's included
4 videos2 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 40 minutes
Calculus Redux•15 minutes
BONUS!•9 minutes
Foreshadowing•13 minutes
Credits•3 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
About the Chapter 5 Exam•10 minutes
About the 5-CHAPTER GREAT BIG FINAL EXAM!•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Chapter 5: Discretization - Exam•30 minutes
5-CHAPTER GREAT BIG FINAL EXAM!•30 minutes
Instructor
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The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.
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Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.