QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS ABOUT:
EECS 230
Electromagnetics
I
The
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Lectures
M W F 10:30-11:30 in CSE 1690
Discussion Section T 12:00-1:00 in DOW 1017
Q1. Who is the instructor?
A. Dr. Stephen Rand, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Contact info.
Q2. What are office hours for the course? How can I get help? Where do I go?
A. The instructor's office hours are held in room ERB1 3102 on MWF 11:30-1:00 and T 10:30-12:00.
Q3. Does this course have teaching assistants (graduate student instructors, or GSIs)?
A. Yes. Contact information and hours for both the course TA and the lab TAs are listed in the GSI information section. The grader marks homework assignments only. The instructor personally marks all exams. All requests for grade reconsideration (homework and exams) are handled exclusively by the instructor.
Q4. Can I call for general advice or about personal problems?
A. Absolutely. Most questions will be handled during regular office hours, but if you think you have special concerns, just drop by or send me a message to set up a convenient appointment time. We want you all to be successful and in the past we have coached students through virtually all the personal challenges you are encountering! Virtually nobody experiences a smooth ride all the way! You are certainly welcome to call about any kind of problem after you've exhausted your own resources.
Q5. How will my grade be determined?
A. Exam1 15%; Exam2 15%; Final Exam 25%; Homework 20%; Lab 25%
Q6. Does the graded homework count significantly?
A. Yes, the homework is graded and returned after one week and accounts for a significant part of your final grade. You cannot get an A in this course without doing all the homework. In fact you may struggle getting a B without doing the homework. Homework is the essential practice needed to verify whether you can really do what you THINK you can do! Moreover you should review the solutions to get a clear idea of whether you interpreted the question as expected (hardcopy available in the Media Union, or online at this course website). Sometimes interpretation can present a challenge. Homework is also useful in preparing you to interpret problems quickly on exams.
Q7. Is it OK for us to work in groups on homework solutions?
A. No. This is contrary to the honor code policy stated in the course outline. You may discuss how to approach solutions with friends, but the work you submit must be entirely your own. COPIED HOMEWORK SOLUTIONS WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE COURSE.
Q8. What textbooks are we using?
F. Ulaby, Applied Electromagnetics, 5th edition, Prentice-Hall, 2006.
Q9. What do you consider to be an acceptable problem solution and how do I go about solving these problems?
A. Your solution will generally be handwritten, but a printer is preferable for computer plots. Remember the 10 commandments of problem solving:
1. Be as neat and orderly as possible. Illegible
solutions will not (can not!) be graded.
2. A problem solution tells a story. Use good English in your story.
3. Make sure that you understand the problem before you begin solving
it. Read the statement carefully.
4. Avoid "equation-hunting." Although some plug and chug drill
problems will be assigned, most problems require careful analytical thought and
an understanding of the principles outlined in the chapter.
5. In a problem development, keep equations in symbolic form until the very
end, then substitute numerical values.
6. Don't write down more significant figures in a final answer than is
justified by the numerical values given in the problem statement, even though
your calculator may display them. What number was known with the least
precision?
7. All numerical answers require units, usually SI units; dimensionless
numerical answers should be flagged as such. Intermediate answers (computed
during the course of the problem solution) should also have units attached.
8. Graphs are two types: (1) a cause-effect graph, on which the dependence of y
on x is shown merely for purposes of illustrating the general effect; numerical
values are not intended to be read from a cause-effect graph; (2) an
information graph, on which the dependence of y on x is presented for numerical
purposes. Most graphs asked for in EECS 230 problems fit into this latter
category and they must exhibit the following information:
a. Both axes labeled with (1) the name of the variable, (2) the symbol for the variable, and (3) the unit used to express the value of the quantity.
b. Numerical scaling of both abscissa and ordinate.
c. For graphs on unruled paper, major divisions are denoted by fiducial (tick) marks on all four sides; this applies to computer-generated graphs as well.
d. A short title.
9. If you're hopelessly hung up at some point in the problem
solution, indicate in writing what you would do if you could get around
the impasse.
10. Try to find a few moments to think about the significance of the problem.
Does your solution make sense?
Q10. What is EECS 230 all about?
A. The purpose of the course is (a) to give students a firm grounding in static electricity and magnetism, as well as an introduction to wave propagation (dynamic fields), thereby completing basic preparation on subject matter that is the core of electrical engineering. You should develop a good feel for the forces that electric and magnetic fields exert on charges and current elements, as well as core principles of propagation of electromagnetic waves along transmission lines and in free space.
An equally important goal of the course is to get the student to understand how electromagnetics relates to other fields in basic science an engineering.
Q11. Is EECS 230 a tough course?
A. The subject matter of this course is fascinating, but what you get out of
it all depends on how well you work on it. Do not fall behind. Develop a
practice of reviewing new material before tackling the related homework in
order to keep up. We start slowly and
build up speed as we go along. The material in the course is in the form
of building blocks, and you can't stand on the previous block to reach up
further unless the previous one is solid. If you do poorly on an early exam,
you should immediately get together one-on-one with the instructor to discuss
the sticking points before continuing. Fix problems as you go, not
after it's too late. Talk to somebody! Also, if you do very well on an
early exam, don't get overly confident either!
Make no mistake, this material is challenging when first encountered.