June 13 to 19 2011

Beginning of clear days

I had some excess photos this week, so I’m posting them here. It was good week, somewhat busy and wet, as usual. Next week is the last week of school, but I’m immediately starting a paid math research project with my advisor, which is kind of cool. We’ll be exploring Sobolev spaces and the elasticity of some equations, numerically modeled in MATLAB.

Smelling Like The End

I’ve almost completed my last assignment. Like most bloggers who are studying full time, it’s a challenge during the midterm or end of term exam period to update my blog as much as before.

I started working on my last Numerical Linear Algebra assignment last Monday. It’s taken most of the week to complete it, including two marathon coding sessions at the computer lab, where I coded on my laptop. The implantation of the Generalized Conjugate Residual [GCR] method was a bit harsh to say the least. The other methods were easier.

I programmed the Conjugate Gradient [CG], CG with SSOR, CG with ICC [using the incomplete Cholesky factorization], GCR with SOR, GCR with ILU [using the incomplete LU factorization].

I also had to code some sparse matrices. I coded the Relaxation Method to resolving linearized differential equations.

It was a challenge, but I liked it. This is why that I’m probably going to work with my professor in Numerical Linear Algebra over the summer, while in Taiwan. I really enjoyed this assignment, even though it clocked at 23 pages in a Word document. I plan to learn LaTex over the summer.

For these long assignments, I always do them on the computer. It looks more professional and I find that writing equations this way makes me think about them more then if I would write them by hand.

On Tuesday, I’m leaving for Ottawa to take care of my visa to Taiwan. I’ll be coming back on Wednesday to Quebec City. My flight is on Friday. I’ll be arriving in Taiwan during the weekend.

End Of Semester Nerves

It’s gettting towards the end of the semester here in Quebec, and I’m getting antsy.

I’ve got an oral presentation tomorrow in one of my classes, but I’m getting nervous. I’m not that nervous, since I have taught groups of 30 4th graders, but still… I’m a bit nervous. This morning, I woke up at around 6AM, unable to sleep anymore. I think that I was tossing and turning since 5AM.

Part of the day was taken up by coding our last homework in Numerical Analysis. My partner was absent, so I coded for a few hours by myself. I’ve been told that he’s completed his part and I’m anxious to combine them. The assignment is due on Friday.

I’ve got a small test on Thursday in Analysis I. I want to take most of the evening to study. Since I only start classes at 10:30AM, I’ll have part of the morning as well. The test is on mathematical series. It’s perfect practice for the exam next

I’m still amazed at the whole CamelBak and Crystal Castles incidents on my blog. I’d like to say that the Crystal Castles isn’t really my business, though I commented on it and based my opinions from other sources. I’d just like to mention that I’ve been listening to Crystal Castles non-stop since I posted my blog, so maybe that means there is no bad promotion, right? (I really like their music too!)

Matlab On Ubuntu

I freaking hate that the Windows shortcuts aren’t emulated in Linux. WTF. It’s like a reflex to use them in Linux. I’m always surprised when I save a file with CTRL+S it doesn’t save. CTRL+X, CTRL+V don’t work either. WTF.

I must have wasted 10 minutes on shit like that this afternoon while I was programming some numerical integrals with the Simpson 1/3 method. This method is of the 4th [O(h^4)] order. We used a Richardson Extrapolation to gain two more magnitudes of order. Time matters when you are doing a 45 minute lab and that at the end of the lab, you have to hand in your programs.

We spent another 20-25 minutes trying to figure out what the problem was with our program. We had some syntax errors. The if statement had the semi-colon at the wrong place. Otherwise, I would have finished this lab in about 20 minutes flat.

My partner was sick, so I was stuck doing most of it myself. He was in class, but his frequent trips to the bathroom weren’t helping him do any coding.

Mathematics And Photos And Pens

It’s taken me a little while to upload my latest photos from this week, sorry about that. It’s the end of the semester, and I’m busy with school. I’m feeling pretty good about myself. I’ve done a lot in these last few days and I feel that my mathematical intuition has returned almost in its entirety.

In Analysis I, I’ve worked hard and spent a lot of time on problem sets. Since we’ve started with the study of mathematical series, I’m confident that I’ll do well in the last exam. I think that I’m maintaining a B+ average this semester. It’s not fantastic, but it’s a lot better than when I was in school the last time.

Also, I’ve had to reconsider my note taking system. I bought two 300 page spiral notebooks for my four courses at the university. The system isn’t working out. My notebooks are disintegrating. I’ve bought a compact accordion folder with 13 subjects. I’ve started taking notes on ruled sheets of paper instead. It makes things more compact and ergonomic.

At the same time, I’ve bought a Blueline A91 Lab notes book. It’s got 200 pages and has a solid binding. I’m using this as my research notebook, noting interesting things in mathematics. I’ve started out by writing review sheets for my Linear Numerical Algebra class. I plan on working with one of the professors on a little project during the summer.

It’s taken me a while to find the right writing pens. I’ve settled on a Staedtler triplus fineliner for the moment. I’ve used a set to write for most of the semester, but find that the tip recesses after a while due to my writing. The tip isn’t rigid enough. I bought a Pilot V10 Grip and was disappointed with it. Since I find that felt tip pens write a lot better, I’ll get a few Pilot V Razor Point Marker Pens next week. They should to the trick.

Naturally, I’m not using my drawing pens to write. That would be a waste. When I was in the campus store at the visual arts faculty, I was a bit confused by the choices that I had. There were a lot of pens to choose from.

Early Bedtime

I went to bed at 9PM last night and woke up at my usual 6:30AM. I was totally out of it most of the day. The previous night’s and that same day’s coding in MATLAB had taken its toll. I started to feel awake after I taught my class at 4PM. I arrived home and got a surprising call from a friend who wanted to have dinner at his house for my birthday which is coming up this weekend. I hadn’t really planned on doing anything, but I was happily surprised.

Past Midnight

It’s past midnight. I’ve just come home from school. I spent 6 hours coding an assignment MATLAB. I woke up at 6:30AM and had a whole day of classes as well. I’m bushed. And I’ve got 175 posts to read in Google Reader.

Sick

I was working today. I had no classes. At 1PM, I got a headache. At around 2PM, I arrived at school to finish a Matlab programming assignment. By the time I left, I wasn’t feeling good at all.

I didn’t know if it was the lack of food, lack of sleep or just a bug running around that had gotten me sick. I started feeling very hot. I knew this feeling. It had to do with something I ate. Oddly enough, I hadn’t eaten in the morning. I woke up late and was on the run to arrive in time for my classes.

I ended up throwing up my banana smoothie that I made myself when I arrived home. Afterwards, I felt better. I cleaned up and went to my last 90 minute class. Puking had made me miss my usual buss. I had to hurry to arrive in time. My student didn’t show up so I went back home. I treated myself to some Italian sausages with some pasta. I hadn’t eaten pasta in three months. I felt that I needed it. I couldn’t stand eating any goulash or blue cheese tonight. I read blogs while I cooked.

I wasn’t surprised that I had 131 items to read. I managed to get through them pretty quickly. I had appetite and I was able to hold my food down. In my opinion, I must have eaten something that didn’t sit right with me the day before. I have a sensitive stomach.

I’m trying to relax. I have another assignment to complete this week and another midterm. Then my midterm rush will be over.

Even though I didn’t want to take any pictures today, I did take a few good ones. The sky was almost cleared up after the heavy snowfall of the past week. The sunset was great. Quebec has gotten 448cm of snow this winter.

Midterms

Function	sin	cos	tan	csc	sec	cot
sinθ =
cosθ =
tanθ =
cscθ =
secθ =
cotθ =

I’m busy studying for a midterm tomorrow morning. It’s a Teaching College Level Mathematics class. The teacher is interesting and younger than I am. He obtained his Masters a year or two ago. My program director suggested that I take this class to ease myself back into mathematics.

After the exam, I’ve got a numerical analysis laboratory. I start the midterm break afterwards. However, it’s going to be a busy time. Coming back from the break, I’ll have three more midterms within two weeks, three homework to give in (big ones involving a lot of coding).

I’m really enjoying the time here. I’ve really gotten into mathematics again. I’ve got a lot to do in numerical analysis and numerical linear algebra. Both classes involve coding in MATLAB.

My teaching hours are most probably going be at around 14 starting next week. That’s almost as much as I wanted. It’s been rough, but I managed to get by. Next semester, I want the least amount of distractions while I study.

Brain = Mush

I spent three hours coding some lab work in the departmental computer lab. I was doing well for the first 90 to 120 minutes. After that, I started getting mixed up. We had too many variables. We were writing a script instead of writing a function. Anyways, it was done almost 90 minutes later than it was supposed to. At least everything was working well.