Applied Complex Variables (MATH446)
Official Course Description
For students who desire a working knowledge of complex variables; covers the standard topics and gives an introduction to integration by residues, the argument principle, conformal maps, and potential fields. Students desiring a systematic development of the foundations of the subject should take MATH448.
Unofficial Description (Student Feedback)
A very computational course with a few proofs on homeworks and less on exams. Prior experience with proof-writing is as such not necessary. The “applications” of complex analysis come in the later lectures while the beginning lectures go over foundations of complex analysis. Would recommend this for non-math majors and especially for a math minor. Completely fine to take this course in your first semester if you want.
Official Prerequisites
Degree Requirements Fulfilled
This course satisfies a core requirement or an elective requirement* for the following programs:
Mathematics, BS
Mathematics and Computer Science, BS
Mathematics Minor
General Advice
There are 3 midterms and a final. It would be wise to do all of the homeworks since the midterms and finals have questions of similar format to the homework questions. The homeworks are mostly textbook problems along with problems from the professor. The final is likely to have bonus questions which are graded leniently so that can significantly help your grade. Lectures generally have a lot of proofs and derivations that are not really necessary to understand to do well in the class, but they are interesting to see! If you have a decent math background and keep up with the work, this class shouldn’t take a lot of hours of a given week to study for.
General Postrequisites
Resources
Complex Variables and Applications, Ninth Edition by James Ward Brown and Ruel V. Churchill
Recent Professors
Igor Nikolaev