Introduction to Numerical Methods
Introduction to Numerical Methods covering interpolation, linear/nonlinear systems, approximate integration/differentiation, ODEs, and data fitting with polynomials/splines.
Summary
Past student reviews · Amos Ron, Beck Hasti
Homework assignments were reported to take up to 20 hours each. Exams were described as difficult, with one student noting the midterm average was 60% without a curve.
Grade history
↗All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors
Prerequisites
Course mapMATH 222 and (MATH/COMP SCI 240 or MATH 234) and (COMP SCI 200, 300, 301, 310, or placement into COMP SCI 300) or graduate/professional standing or declared in the Capstone Certificate in Computer Sciences for Professionals
- MATH 222
- take one
- COMPSCI 200
- COMPSCI 300
- 301
- COMPSCI 310
- placement into COMP SCI 300
- graduate/professional standing
- declared in the Capstone Certificate in Computer Sciences for Professionals
This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Prerequisite text tree
- Any of
- All of
- MATH 222
- Any of
- Any of
- COMPSCI 200
- COMPSCI 300
- 301
- COMPSCI 310
- placement into COMP SCI 300
- graduate/professional standing
- declared in the Capstone Certificate in Computer Sciences for Professionals
- All of
Professors
Spring 2027No instructors recorded for this selection.
Historical instructors & teaching patterns
AMOS RON is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Fall 2008, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ANDREW KUEMMEL is recorded teaching in Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
BECK HASTI is recorded teaching in Spring 2009, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
EFTYCHIOS SIFAKIS is recorded teaching in Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JESSE THOMAS HOLZER is recorded teaching in Spring 2014. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
OKAN AKALIN is recorded teaching in Spring 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
Calendar & sections
Spring 2027Schedule loads here as you scroll.
| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
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Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections.
Meeting source records
No records available.
Student experience
the class
Past student reviews · Eftychios Sifakis, Beck Hasti
Students found the material math-heavy and required memorizing numerous formulas while learning MATLAB. The course often felt like plugging numbers into algorithms rather than deep conceptual learning.
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2023: 2.86 GPA, 48.6% A/AB (n=37 letter grades); Fall 2024: 2.79 GPA, 38.5% A/AB (n=39 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.00 GPA, 31.8% A/AB (n=22 letter grades).
difficulty & workload
Past student reviews · Amos Ron, Beck Hasti
Homework assignments were reported to take up to 20 hours each. Exams were described as difficult, with one student noting the midterm average was 60% without a curve.
Past student reviews · Amos Ron, Beck Hasti
Feedback on grading was mixed; one student found Amos Ron's grading ambiguous and stressful, while another criticized Beck Hasti for slow homework feedback and regurgitating textbook content.
Topics
- Interpolation
- Solution of linear and nonlinear systems of equations
- Approximate integration and differentiation
- Numerical solution of ordinary differential equations
- Data fitting by polynomials and splines
Skills
- Numerical methods for interpolation, solving systems of equations, integration, differentiation, ODEs, and data fitting
Grades
Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Spring 2027.
Grade distribution · % of letter grades
Grades over time
Through Spring 2026
More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data
Not enough comparable courses for Spring 2027 in UW–Madison.
Sources & history
Catalog & offerings
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Catalog observation history
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
Selected offering source records
No offering records for the selected term.
Raw records
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Student reviews
Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Read original reviews
Grade history
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded 2026-10-14
Model outputs & technical records
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces
Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
Model & dataset provenance
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"model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
"task_version": "17",
"output_id": "a07448dae75ee9b5890fceecd3e3cef0cf2461acff3e064b623d9776f34278cb",
"requirements_status": "needs_review",
"dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
"observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}