Events

Topic: Programming with Python
Date : Nov 7, 8 2009
Time : 9 am to 6 pm
Venue : University of Calicut
Instructors: Prabhu Ramachandran and Asokan P.

Intended audience:

College and University Teachers/Professors/Lecturers from any
Engineering or Science domain, and Engineering students who would
like to use Python for their basic computing and plotting needs.

Prerequisites:

Participants should be comfortable computer users and be familiar with
programming constructs such as loops, conditionals. Familiarity with
programming editors-- scite, notepad++, vi, emacs- will be a
plus. Familiarity with using the commandline will be another plus.

Objectives:

At the end of the program the participants will have a good
understanding of the Python language, and selected libraries. They
will be able to write good modular procedural code and use objects.
They will get a overview of the other major topics, features and
libraries and be able to learn these on their own if required.

Coverage:
* Motivation, background and design philosophy.
* Basic data types: int, float and string
* Core data structures: lists, tuples and dictionaries
* Functions
* Tool chain
* Overview of the standard library
* Matplotlib
* NumPy and Scipy
* 3D plotting
* Debugging and testing

Methodology:

Completely hands on, exploratory mode with minimal lectures
introducing essential concepts and techniques. Typically we will have
short 10-15 minute lectures, followed by series of graduated
problems. The participants will solve them exploring the documentation
to do so and the solutions will be discussed.

Laptops can be brought by participants, and additional
laptops/computers can be provided for use for those required. Charging
points will be available.

As far as installations go, you would require the following:

-- For Debian/ Ubuntu and the like:
(a) IPython
(b) Python doc
(c) the Python Profiler
(d) Scipy/Numpy
(e) Matplotlib
(f) Mayavi2

For Windows XP (x86), Windows Vista (x86), Mac OS X 10.4+ (x86),
RedHat 3 (x86, amd64), RedHat 4 (x86, amd64), RedHat 5 (x86, amd64),
and Solaris 10 (x86, amd64) :

(a) get the EPD (http://www.enthought.com/products/epd.php) bundle and
you'll have everything you need! This is available for free for those
in academia and others can utilize the free 30 day trial version for
now.

In any case, we will be providing live DVDs containing all the
required installations and some additional tools on site.

Date: Sunday, 8 November, 2009
Venue: A1/A2, Mathematics Dept, IIT Bombay
Time: morning and afternoon:
Session 1 (10:30am to 12:30pm): Introduction to Scilab (details below)
Session 2 (2pm to 4pm):Linear Algebra/Optimization/Ordinary Differential Equation
(details below)

Scilab is a free and open source platform (on various OS) for numerical computation.
Registration is compulsory. However, there is no registration fee.
The workshop will benefit those who use, or intend to use, numerical packages like MATLAB for their computation needs.

Presentation slides (almost final) have been made available before the workshop so
you may evaluate which sessions are suitable for you. The presentation
slides are available at http://www.ee.iitb.ac.in/student/~deepakp/scilab2/

DETAILS:

Session 1: Introduction to Scilab (by Aditya Sengupta)

1. Target Audience:
* This session is meant for engineering students with no prior
experience with numerical computing- If you are already comfortable
with numerical packages like MATLAB, you may find the introductory
session to be superfluous. The session presentation matter is however
available at the above URL- so you may familiarize yourself with the
syntax.

2. Prerequisites:
* We expect you to have a basic understanding of 12th grade
Mathematics- particularly matrices.
* Basic computer skills are expected- to use a text editor and
to run a program and an acquaintance with programming aspects such as
functions, branching (if-then-else conditions) and iteration
(while/for loops).

3. At the end of this session, we expect you to be able to:

* Define (direct input, ranges, assignment and extraction) and
perform elementary algebraic operations with 2-dimensional vectors and
matrices.
* Solve linear equations (n equations in n unknowns)
* Perform matrix inversion, generate pseudo-random
numbers/matrices and check for numeric inequalities.
* Define, factorise, differentiate, perform elementary
algebraic operations (add/subtract/multiply) and evaluate (numerical
substitution of) polynomials.
* Write and execute scripts, define functions and perform
branching/iteration operations on the commands covered.
* Take user input and perform console output (unformatted) for
numbers and strings.
* Plotting data: 2 dimensional plot (one vector against
another) and 3 dimensional plot (matrix against two vectors)

Session 2: Linear Algebra, Optimization and Solving Ordinary
Differential Equations using Scilab (by Deepak U. Patil)

1. Target Audience:
* This session is meant for engineering students who wish to
use Scilab for basic Linear algebra, Optimization and/or ordinary
differential equations.

2. Prerequisites
* Familiarity with Linear algebra, Optimization, ordinary
differential equations is expected.
* Basic application of Scilab is expected to be known. The
"Introduction to Scilab" session (preceding session or session held on
Sept. 5) is sufficient. If you are experienced with similar packages
like MATLAB and do not wish to attend the introductory session, we
strongly suggest you go through the presentation matter of the
introductory session and familiarize yourself with the Scilab syntax
before attending this session.

3. At the end of this session, we expect you to be able to:
* Solve a System of Linear Equations, find a Null space of a
Given Matrix.
* Decompose a given matrix into various forms (LU, SVD, QR,etc).
* Solve a System of Non-linear Equations for their zero locations.
* Optimize a given function (i.e. Minimize and Maximize).
* Find Gradient, Jacobian and Hessian of a Function.
* Solve ordinary Differential Equations.

REQUIREMENTS:

* Each session will be limited to the first 35 participants who register.
* Please bring your laptop (or a friend's laptop), we will provide extension cords,
but internet will not be accessible inside.

* Also please install the latest stable version (5.1.1 is enough) of Scilab:
You can download your copy of Scilab from here:
http://www.scilab.org/download/
(Ubuntu users may install Scilab using apt. The command is "sudo
apt-get install scilab". You may also install using "Add/Remove
applications" in the menu or using Synaptic- search for "scilab" in
either case.)
* Register by filling this form:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dFVpQzNYMEkxSXVpbXRlYmN4...

Feel free to mail Aditya at apsengupta+sci2@gmail.com for any doubts-
before or after the session.