MATH 312: Complex Analysis

SCHEDULE

Class will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30am-11:25am in Fowler 201.

INSTRUCTOR

Ron Buckmire
402 Fowler
Math Department
Occidental College
1600 Campus Road
Los Angeles, CA 90041
(213) 259-2536
ron@oxy.edu

OFFICE HOURS

I am almost always in my office from noon till around 8pm. My official office hours will be Wednesday 2pm-4pm and Thursday 1pm-2pm. I am readily accessible by electronic mail and by phone. If you need to see me at a time not specified here, then contact me and make an appointment.

TEXTBOOK

Complex Variables and Applications, by Churchill and Brown, 5th Edition (1990), McGraw Hill.

NATURE OF THE CLASS

The main goal of the course is for you to learn different aspects of complex variables. I shall be teaching the course with an idea towards how complex variables are used to solve real-world or physical problems in other disciplines. We shall be covering topics such as complex integration, conformal mapping, series, elementary and essential functions and other topics. Pretty much everything in the first nine chapters of the textbook.

We shall be using a number of computer algebra systems like Mathematica, Maple, and F(z) to assist us in the visualization of some complex structures and also to assist with algebraic manipulations.

FORMAT OF THE CLASS

Homework and problem sets will be an integral part of the class where learning how complex variables are used will be achieved by doing, not listening to me talk about it, or watching me do it on the board.

GOALS

The goal of the class is that you gain an appreciation for and dexterity with, complex variables. (And to have fun doing it!) Complex variables was my favorite class when I was an undergraduate, and I hope to make this course your favourite.

TESTS

There will be 3 EXAMS in this course. The three tests are scheduled for Dates of these tests are subject to change (with notice). There will be no final exam.

TERM PAPER

The term paper will consist of a paper of at most five pages written which describes some topic involving complex variables which is of interest to the student. It should be about your favorite topic covered in the class. You could also write about a particular interesting question on a homewor k or problem set, or about an application of complex variables in your field. The point is to communicate to me that atleast one topic covered in the class was interesting enough to write about, and why.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

I expect the highest level of academic honesty from my students. If you have any questions about academic honesty you should read the sections on ``Spirit of Honor'' (front cover) and ``Academic Policies'' (pp 111-112) found in the Student Handbook. Any instances of plagiarism or cheating will be dealt with strictly and in accordance with procedures outlined in the Handbook.

GRADES

Your course grade will be composed of the following:

OTHER NOTES

We will not have class on Wednesday January 17 (I'm out of town), Monday February 19 (Presidents Day), March 18-22 (Spring Break)

ON-LINE MATERIALS

I have set up a web page for the course, where announcements about the class will be reproduced. The URL is http://abacus.oxy.edu/~ron/math/312.html.

CAVEAT

This online version of the syllabus may contain updates of the paper version of the syllabus handed out in class.

Last Updated: January 18, 1996