Unit of study_

MATH4076: Computational Mathematics

2026 unit information

This unit of study provides an introduction to mathematical computing and numerical analysis. Topics covered include floating-point arithmetic and computational errors, solution of (systems of) equations, numerical integration and differentiation, interpolation and approximation of functions, numerical methods to approximate solutions of differential equations, and basic concepts of numerical optimization with applications. This unit will cover the mathematical theory of numerical methods and their implementation in a modern programming language.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Science

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Mathematics and Statistics Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
[A mark of 65 or above in (12 credit points of MATH2XXX) or (6 credit points of MATH2XXX and 6 credit points of STAT2XXX or DATA2X02)] or (12 credit points of MATH3XXX)
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
MATH3076 or MATH3976
Assumed knowledge:
? 
(MATH2X21 and MATH2X22) or (MATH2X61 and MATH2X65)

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Learn and apply computational methods (e.g., root‑finding, numerical integration, linear system solvers, and ODE solvers) that solve problems arising in Mathematics, the Natural Sciences, and Engineering.
  • LO2. Understand and analyze the computational efficiency of different methods, the accuracy of numerical solutions, and sources of error in numerical calculations.
  • LO3. Apply mathematical ideas and tools to analyse numerical methods, derive their key properties, explain why they work, and justify their applicability to different classes of problems.
  • LO4. Apply computational methods to solve a concrete mathematical problem, analysing the errors in the numerical solutions, evaluating the suitability of different methods, and creating suitable solutions to the problem.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2026
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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