Readings | Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers | Mechanical Engineering

The textbook for the course is the online textbook Masayuki Yano, et al. Math, Numerics, and Programming (for Mechanical Engineers). V2.1, August 2013. Unpublished manuscript. The entire textbook is This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader. available for download as a single file (PDF - 18.6MB). The textbook is referred to as MATLAB^®: Textbook in the table below.

The less-is-more variant of the textbook is available in the Nutshells & GUIs section: Masayuki Yano, et al. Math, Numerics, & Programming for Mechanical Engineers... in a Nutshell, V1.1, 2014. Unpublished manuscript.

Course readings.
READINGS ASSIGNMENTS	SUPPORTING VIDEOS
Unit I: (Numerical) Calculus—Interpolation, Integration, Differentiation
Math and Numerics Unit I Nutshells MATLAB: Textbook Chapter 4 Section 5.1	The Macro-Me Robot Flash and JavaScript are required for this feature. The Macro-Me Robot > Download from Internet Archive (MP4 - 4MB) Video of a 2.086 robot performing IR range finding and odometry. (Courtesy of James Penn. Used with permission.)
Unit II: Probability; Statistical Estimation; Monte-Carlo Methods
Math and Numerics Unit II Nutshells MATLAB: Textbook Sections 6.1–6.4 Section 5.3	There are no supporting videos in this unit.
Unit III: (Numerical) Linear Algebra I—Matrices and Vectors, Least-Squares; Regression
Math and Numerics Unit III Nutshells MATLAB: Textbook Chapter 18	The Macro-Me Robot: Friction Test Flash and JavaScript are required for this feature. The Macro-Me Robot: Friction Test > Download from Internet Archive (MP4 - 5MB) Video of a 2.086 robot attempting to push a load on two different surfaces. (Courtesy of James Penn. Used with permission.)
Unit IV: Numerical Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs); Eigenproblems
Math and Numerics Unit IV Nutshells MATLAB: Textbook Sections 6.5 & 6.6	Macro-Me Suspension Flash and JavaScript are required for this feature. Macro-Me Suspension > Download from Internet Archive (MP4 - 2MB) Video of a 2.086 robot driving over a small bump at three different velocities. (Courtesy of James Penn. Used with permission.)
Unit V: (Numerical) Linear Algebra II—Linear Systems; Nonlinear Systems
Math and Numerics Unit V Nutshells Chapter 24 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 (Electively, you may read Chapter 29 of the textbook for some background on nonlinear problems; however this chapter is not required for Assignment 5: Assignment 5 includes a self-contained discussion of nonlinear problems (and associated MATLAB issues).) MATLAB: Textbook Chapter 28	Robot Arm Demo Flash and JavaScript are required for this feature. Robot Arm Demo > Download from Internet Archive (MP4 - 2MB) Video of a 2.086 robot arm tracking a specified trajectory. (Courtesy of James Penn. Used with permission.)