
Introduction to Numerical Methods
Welcome to the course “Numerical Methods with MATLAB: Theory, Code and Applications.”
This is the introductory lecture of the course. In this lecture, we introduce the subject of Numerical Methods and discuss its importance in mathematics, science, engineering, and computational problem-solving.
Numerical Methods are mathematical techniques used to obtain approximate solutions to problems that may be difficult or impossible to solve using analytical methods. They provide systematic procedures for finding numerical solutions and are widely used in scientific and engineering applications.
Language of the Course
The lectures in this course are delivered in a mix of Urdu and English to make the concepts easier to understand for students who are comfortable with both languages.
English subtitles are also provided with the lectures to help students follow the explanations more easily and to make the course more accessible.
In This Lecture
In this introductory lecture, we discuss:
- What are Numerical Methods?
- Why are Numerical Methods important?
- The difference between analytical and numerical solutions
- The concept of approximate solutions
- The role of numerical computation in solving mathematical problems
- Applications of Numerical Methods in science and engineering
- The role of computers in numerical computation
- Introduction to MATLAB as a tool for implementing numerical methods
- An overview of the topics and methods covered in this course
Throughout the course, numerical methods will be studied through their theoretical foundations, numerical algorithms, MATLAB implementation, and practical applications.
The overall learning approach can be summarized as:
Theory → Algorithm → MATLAB Code → Applications
This introductory lecture provides the necessary background for the numerical methods and MATLAB-based techniques that will be discussed in the subsequent lectures.
Course Information
Course Title: Numerical Methods with MATLAB: Theory, Code and Applications
Instructor: Dr. Muhammad Sarmad Arshad
Lecture Language: Urdu + English
Subtitles: English
learn how to plot graphs in MATLAB, including basic sin x plots, labeling, grids, multiple curves with hold on, and subplots, bar and scatter plots for numerical methods.
Learn the Regula falsi method, a root-finding technique that blends bisection and secant, keeps a bracket, and updates with c where f(a) and f(b) have opposite signs.
In this lecture, we develop the theoretical framework of the Gaussian Elimination Method, one of the fundamental numerical techniques for solving systems of simultaneous linear equations.
The lecture focuses on understanding the mathematical idea behind the method, the transformation of a system of linear equations into an upper triangular form, and the subsequent process of obtaining the solution through back substitution.
In this lecture, you will learn:
The basic concept and motivation behind the Gaussian Elimination Method
Representation of a system of linear equations in matrix form
The process of forward elimination
Transformation of the coefficient matrix into an upper triangular matrix
The role of elementary row operations
The concept of back substitution
The complete theoretical algorithm for Gaussian Elimination
Important considerations and assumptions associated with the method
This theoretical foundation will prepare you for the next stage, where we implement the Gaussian Elimination Method in MATLAB and apply it to practical numerical problems.
? Course: Numerical Methods with MATLAB
? Focus: Theory → Algorithm → MATLAB Code → Applications
By understanding the theory first, you will be better prepared to develop and interpret MATLAB programs for solving systems of linear equations using Gaussian Elimination.
Keywords: Gaussian Elimination Method, Gaussian Elimination, Numerical Methods, MATLAB, Systems of Linear Equations, Linear Algebra, Numerical Linear Algebra, Forward Elimination, Back Substitution, MATLAB Programming.
LU Decomposition Method – Theoretical Framework
In this lecture, we develop the theoretical framework of the LU Decomposition Method, an important technique for solving systems of simultaneous linear equations in Numerical Methods.
You will learn how a given coefficient matrix can be decomposed into the product of a lower triangular matrix (L) and an upper triangular matrix (U), and how this decomposition simplifies the solution of linear systems.
In this lecture, you will learn:
The fundamental concept of LU Decomposition
The mathematical formulation of the L and U matrices
How LU decomposition transforms a system of linear equations
The relationship between LU decomposition and Gaussian Elimination
The step-by-step theoretical procedure for obtaining L and U
How the decomposed system can be solved using forward and backward substitution
Important assumptions and considerations when applying the LU Decomposition Method
This lecture focuses primarily on the mathematical and theoretical foundation of the method, preparing you for its implementation and application in MATLAB.
? Course: Numerical Method with MATLAB: Theory, Code and Applications
By the end of this lecture, you will have a clear understanding of the theory behind LU Decomposition and be ready to implement the method computationally in MATLAB.
Welcome to Numerical Methods with MATLAB: Theory, Codes & Applications. A practical and thorough course that will guide you step-by-step into understanding, implementing, and applying the most important numerical methods in mathematics, engineering, computer science, and computational science.
Numerical Methods with MATLAB: Theory, Codes & Applications is instructed by Dr. Muhammad Sarmad Arshad Khan, PhD in Computational Mathematics, Associate Professor, with more than 15 years of experience in teaching at universities level and also rich in experience in numerical analysis, computational mathematics, and mathematical modeling.
In contrast to just giving codes in MATLAB, this course takes you through the entire learning process:
Mathematical Theory → Hand Calculation → Algorithm → MATLAB Code → Solution → Visualization → Applications
First, you will learn why and how the method works mathematically, then how to do it by hand, and then finally code it in MATLAB.
What You Will Learn
1. Root-Finding Methods
Learn to find approximate roots of nonlinear equations using:
Bisection Method
Regula Falsi Method
Newton-Raphson Method
Secant Method
Error, stopping criteria, and convergence
MATLAB implementation and graphical analysis
2. Systems of Linear Equations
Learn both direct and iterative methods for solving linear systems:
Gaussian Elimination
LU Decomposition
Gauss-Jacobi Method
Gauss-Seidel Method
Convergence concepts
MATLAB implementation
3. Interpolation Methods
Learn how to estimate unknown values from tabulated data using:
Lagrange Interpolation
Newton's Divided Difference Formula
Interpolation polynomial construction
Numerical examples and MATLAB implementation
4. Numerical Differentiation
Learn to approximate derivatives using:
Forward Difference
Backward Difference
Central Difference
Error and accuracy
MATLAB implementation
5. Numerical Integration
Learn to approximate definite integrals using:
Trapezoidal Rule
Simpson's Rule
Accuracy and approximation errors
MATLAB implementation and practical examples
6. Numerical Solution of ODEs
Learn to solve initial-value problems using:
Euler Method
Runge-Kutta Method of Order 2 (RK2)
Runge-Kutta Method of Order 4 (RK4)
Error and accuracy
MATLAB implementation
Graphical visualization of numerical solutions
7. MATLAB Implementation in Detail
The implementation of programs using MATLAB is a major aspect of this course.
With respect to each numerical method, you will learn how to implement it in terms of MATLAB code.
You will use:
MATLAB script files
Variables and arrays
Loops and if-statements
User-defined functions
Numerical operations
Iterative algorithms
Tabulation of numerical values
Graphs
Comparison of numerical solutions
It’s not just about copying and running code. The MATLAB implementation of the algorithm will be done step-by-step so that you can understand how the mathematical algorithm is implemented in MATLAB.
Theory + Hand Calculation + MATLAB
One of the important aspects of this class is the combination of mathematical theory and numerical computation.
For every major technique, the process of learning includes:
1. The knowledge of the mathematics behind it
2. The derivation of its numerical formulation
3. Performing a hand calculation of one problem
4. Understanding the numerical algorithm
5. Writing the program for the technique using MATLAB
6. Analysis of the results obtained
7. Visualization of the results where possible
What Makes This Course Different?
Many numerical-methods courses focus either on mathematical theory or on programming.
This course combines both.
You will learn the mathematics behind the method and the MATLAB implementation of the method.
You will get:
PhD-qualified university instructor
15+ years of university teaching experience
University-level mathematical explanations
Complete theory for the numerical methods
Step-by-step hand-worked examples
MATLAB implementation for every major method
Clear algorithmic explanations
Graphical visualization
English subtitles for all lectures
Urdu/English explanations
Practical computational examples
Focus on understanding rather than memorization
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for:
BS Mathematics students
MS/MPhil Mathematics students
Engineering students
Computer Science students
Data Science students
Artificial Intelligence students
Scientific Computing students
Students learning MATLAB
Researchers beginning numerical computing
Students preparing for university examinations
Anyone interested in numerical analysis and computational mathematics
Whether you are studying numerical methods for an academic course or want to develop practical MATLAB skills, this course provides a structured path from fundamental concepts to implementation.
By the End of This Course
By completing the course, you will be able to:
Understand the fundamental concepts of numerical methods
Select appropriate numerical techniques for different problems
Perform numerical calculations by hand
Understand iterative numerical algorithms
Analyze approximation and numerical errors
Solve nonlinear equations numerically
Solve systems of linear equations
Construct interpolation polynomials
Approximate derivatives numerically
Evaluate definite integrals numerically
Solve ordinary differential equations numerically
Write MATLAB programs for numerical methods
Interpret and visualize numerical results
Apply numerical techniques to practical mathematical and engineering problems
Start Your Journey into Numerical Computing
Numerical methods are at the heart of modern scientific and engineering computation. From solving nonlinear equations and systems of equations to interpolation, integration, and differential equations, these techniques provide powerful tools for problems where exact analytical solutions may be difficult or unavailable.
With MATLAB, these methods become even more powerful because mathematical algorithms can be implemented, tested, visualized, and applied to larger problems efficiently.
So, if you want to move beyond simply learning formulas and actually understand how numerical methods work and how to implement them in MATLAB, this course is for you.
Enroll now and start learning Numerical Methods with MATLAB — from theory and hand calculations to complete computational implementation and applications.