Numerical Computation in Science and Engineering

C. Pozrikidis

Oxford University Press

1998

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The second edition of this book is available

Why this book?

Designed for non-expert students and researchers, this text provides an accessible introduction to scientific numerical computation and its applications. It assumes no prior knowledge beyond undergraduate calculus and elementary computer programming. Fundamental and practical issues are discussed in a unified manner with a generous, but not excessive, dose of numerical analysis. The topics are introduced on a need to know basis in order to concisely illustrate the practical implementation of a variety of algorithms and to demystify seemingly esoteric numerical methods. Algorithms that can be explained without too much elaboration and implemented within a few dozen lines of computer code are discussed in detail; those whose underlying theories require long, elaborate explanations are discussed at the level of first principles, and references for further information are given. The book uses numerous schematic illustrations to demonstrate concepts and facilitate understanding by providing readers with a helpful interplay between ideas and visual images. Real-world examples, drawn from various branches of science and engineering, are presented in those cases where it would be difficult for readers to produce their own.

Drawing a direct connection between numerical analysis and numerical computation, Numerical Computation in Science and Engineering serves as an ideal text for courses in numerical methods

Computer programs

This book is accompanied by a collection of programs arranged in twelve directories. The first eleven directories correspond to the respective book chapters. The twelfth directory contains subroutines for the computation of special functions. Each directory contains a table of contents and a UNIX makefile that indicates how the files should be compiled and linked. To unravel the tar file on a UNIX system, issue the shell command: tar -xvf NCSE.tar

Please also refer to the second edition