CS 1173 Computation for Scientists and Engineers Week 6
Review

Objectives:

• Consolidate working knowledge of data analysis
• Improve ability to interpret graphs
• Practice with writing code from word problems
• Prepare for the final

Review

• Lessons: 1 to 6
• Homework assignments: 2 and 3
• Labs: 1 and 2
• Lectures: weeks 1 to 7

Coverage with respect the different aspects of the course

• Visualization: working knowledge of how to create, interpret and combine line graphs, pie charts, bar graphs, and scatter plots
• Analysis: use and interpretation of basic statistical indicators (mean, median, max, and min). Linear fits,  percentages, and correlation.
• Computing: use of the MATLAB environment, basic array manipulation (comma versus semicolon, combining arrays together, specifying ranges with the colon), evaluation of basic functions (sum, max, min, mean, median, reshape, diff, repmat, polyval, polyfit, and corr), writing short code segments from a word problem.

Review for the exam

• Visualization
  • Be able to graph a small data set by hand (line graph, pie chart, bar chart, or scatter plot)
  • Be able to interpret a variety of graphs (line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, scatter plots) and their combinations.
  Resources: HW 2 and HW3; in class exercises, labs; lab bullet points
• Analysis
  • Calculate and understand percentages in the context of data analysis
  • Perform simple conversions of units (given the conversion factors)
  • Compute mean and median of short lists of numbers.
  • Compute the differences and the slopes from pairs or longer lists of points.
  • Estimate the error of a data point given a linear fit.
  • Predict values from a linear fit.
  • Interpret correlation correctly.
  Resources: Handouts on percentages, and statistical indicators; HW 2 and HW3; in class exercises.
• Computing
  • Create an array from a specific set of values.
  • Define variables appropriately.
  • Use the comma and semi-colon notation to correctly represent the row and column structure of an array
  • Extract rows, columns, and individual elements of an array
  • Evaluate standard functions (e.g., sum, max, min, mean, median) on arrays
  • Understand the linear representation of an array and correctly use the reshape function
  • Use polyval and polyfit correctly.
  • Translate word problems into short MATLAB code segments.
  Resources: Handouts on array basics, statistical indicators, sum, max, min, mean, median, and reshape; labs; HW2 and HW 3; in class exercises.

This lecture summary was written by Kay A. Robbins of the University of Texas at San Antonio and last modified on 09-Feb-2012. Please contact krobbins@cs.utsa.edu with comments or suggestions.