ECON 387—Applications of Mathematics to Economics II (Winter 2015)
Instructor: Dmytro Hryshko Meeting Room: TB-108
Class Hours: MWF 11:00–11:50 AM My Office: HM Tory Building, 9-19
Office Hours: Friday 2–3 PM, or by appointment e-mail: [email protected]
web-page: http://www.artsrn.ualberta.ca/econweb/hryshko/
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to provide you with a toolbox of mathematical techniques and concepts that are necessary for the study of theoretical economics and econometrics. To succeed you will have to solve a sizeable number of problems working on your own. I’ll do my part by solving in class as many exercises as possible.
Highly recommended Text: Michael Hoy, John Livernois, Chris McKenna, Ray Rees, Thanasis Stengos. 2011. MIT Press, Third Edition. This book should be available at the university bookstore. Another useful text is by Alpha Chiang and Kevin Wainwright
“Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics.”
Prerequisites: ECON 386. The requirements are strictly enforced, and the department may cancel your registration if you do not meet the prerequisite.
Material Covered: The course content is on the last page of the outline. Any material I cover in class, inclusive of the material beyond the textbook, may appear on your exams.
Grading: Evaluation will be based on your performance on two in-class midterm exams, each worth 25%, and the final exam worth 50%. The final exam will be cumulative, although more weight will be given to the material covered from the date of the previous exam. Tentativedates for the midterm exams are listed on the last page of the outline.
Your final grade will be calculated as follows: 0.25·M1 + 0.25·M2 + 0.50· F, where F is the final grade (percent out of 100), M1, M2—same for each respective midterm.
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Each numerical grade will be converted into a letter grade, ranging from F to A+. Your final grade depends on your absolute performance (i.e., on your raw grade calculated in accordance with the formula above), and on your relative performance (i.e., your standing in the class distribution of grades).
Notes:
1. You will not have make-up exams, or extra credit essays. Please plan your work on the course appropriately and put your effort into reading the text and solving the problems assigned.
2. I encourage you to actively participate in class asking questions and taking course notes—this should help you learn the material better.
3. Class attendance can prove to be important since my exams will emphasize the material covered in class. Class attendance will not count towards your grade.
4. I will provide you with sample midterm and final exams.
5. In case you miss the midterm, its weight will be transferred to the final exam.
6. Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching envi- ronment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation plan. Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.
7. As per request of the University administration, please be aware of the following statement: “Policy about course outlines can be found in§23.4(2) of the University Calendar.” (GFC 29 SEP 2003).
8. As per request of the University administration, please familiarize yourself with the following statement: “The University of Alberta is committed to the high- est standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be fa- miliar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the poli- cies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to famil- iarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.” (GFC 29 SEP 2003)
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Course Content
Constrained Optimization
Concave Programming and the Kuhn-Tucker Conditions Integration
Differential Equations Difference Equations
Systems of Differential and Difference Equations
Optimal Control Theory and Dynamic Programming (time permitting) Midterm Exam 1—Monday, February 9 (tentative), in class
Midterm Exam 2—Monday, March 16 (tentative), in class Final Exam—Tuesday, April 21 at 9:00 AM
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