Introduces specific solution techniques used to solve the wave, heat and Laplace equations. Focuses on separation of variables, namely Fourier series, and a variety of numerical methods. Provides students with modern methods, harmonic analysis and numerical analysis, necessary to study and solve PDEs in a variety of applications. The fast Fourier transform is studied as well as finite difference methods for parabolic and elliptic PDEs and the finite element method for elliptic boundary value problems.

Prerequisites: Math 4B or 4BI, and 6A, and 6B with a minimum grade of C; and 124A with a minimum grade of C.

4

Units

Optional

Grading

1, 2, 3

Passtime

None

Level Limit

Letters and science

College
PONCE G
Gustavo Ponce
2.5
110 reviews
AI predicted, based on past grading trends of the course and instructor, class info, and 127 other factors
See All
Spring 2026 . Ponce G
PHELP2516
T R
14:00 PM - 15:15 PM
Spring 2024 . Atzberger P J
PHELP2516
T R
12:30 PM - 13:45 PM
See All
MATH 124B Ponce G Spring 2021 Total: 14
MATH 124B Ponce G Spring 2015 Total: 38
See All
111
2.5
MATH124A . Ponce G 7 Months Ago

Used a lot of examples in class and very good at answering questions. Textbook also pretty useful. Sometimes had pop quizzes but they were never difficult. Homework had to be typed on LaTeX which was annoying. The final was easy if you did the practice exam.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
4A . Ponce G 1 Year, 4 Months Ago

Very thick accent and mumbles a lot, so sometimes lectures were hard to understand. Explained things in a way that was usually more complicated than needed (if he did explain concepts). Wanted students to do well. Math TA saved me, best I've had. Literally did not know anything that was going on and got an A. Still don't know what a vector is.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
4A . Ponce G 1 Year, 5 Months Ago

This man might be the worst lecturer OAT. I did not gain a single thing from him reading off the slides, and 3blue1brown carried this class. He also got emasculated when he couldn't solve problems, saying things like "i don't usually do these computations." Lin alg is fascinating and he didn't convey this at all.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
4A . Ponce G 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

While the class is relatively easy to get through, the homework was frustratingly long and I never really got what he was talking about in lecture. He works through things fast and doesn't spend time explaining much. I know a friend who went to lecture once the whole quarter, studied the week before the final, and got an A. The final is worth 40%..

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
4A . Ponce G 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

I went to every lecture, but didn't gain much. Occasionally, he would mention a topic that may show up on the midterm. A large lecture issue was the computational errors. (multiple times per lecture) Also, even my TA didn't understand one of the homework problems. The final was 40% and no partial credit, but the problems and curve were fair.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
4A . Ponce G 1 Year, 6 Months Ago

Ponce is the worst math professor I have seen. His final was easy in retrospect, but didn't grade for partial credit. I never went to his lectures because when I did, I couldn't understand what he was doing. You can easily self study but avoid him at all costs. I am a math major and he is an awful professor.

0 helpful 0 unhelpful
See all 111 reviews
MATH 119B
0 / 45 Enrolled
Chaotic Dynamics and Bifurcation Theory
Paul Atzberger 2.7
M W
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM
MATH CS 120PA
0 / 20 Enrolled
P-adic analysis and p-adic zeta functions
Zheng Liu 3.8
T R
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM
MATH CS 122A
0 / 25 Enrolled
Complex Variables I
Mihai Putinar 2.0
T R
15:00 PM - 16:15 PM
MATH 122A
0 / 45 Enrolled
Theory of Complex Variables
Hung Chiang 2.9
M W
09:30 AM - 10:45 AM
MATH 122A
0 / 45 Enrolled
Theory of Complex Variables
Do K
T R
12:30 PM - 13:45 PM
MATH 124A
0 / 65 Enrolled
Partial Differential Equations
XU Yang 2.7
T R
09:30 AM - 10:45 AM