Abesamis, Ranma A.

March 16, 2015

EC32FA1

MATH 011
REFLECTION PAPER

MATH 011 was about Advanced Engineering Mathematics. This course deals with the deep
analysis of complex numbers as well as certain theorems and principles that provides a new overlook
and insight to certain expressions or equations which can be used to solve intimate and complex
engineering problems.
During the preliminary period. I was able to learn the principles behind complex numbers in
which the imaginary part can be represented by the letter 'i' or 'j'. These principles that I learned include
simplifying and performing mathematical operations on complex numbers as well as the process of
conjugation which can be used for further simplification. I also learned how these complex numbers can
be converted from rectangular form to polar form then to exponential form. I could say that these
conversions are important for easy understanding of complex numbers. I somehow understood that real
number part can be plotted on the x-axis of a coordinate plane while imaginary number part can be
plotted on the y-axis, implying that a certain angle is formed between them.
During the midterm period, I learned that these complex numbers have also their own identities
in terms of trigonometric functions, inverse trigonometric functions, and hyperbolic functions. For me,
these identities can be used not only to simplify complex numbers when normal simplification methods
are not possible anymore but also to give them a new form which can be easily understood in various
engineering problems. After those, I learned about the Laplace theorem. This theorem is primarily used
to convert time domain equations ot t-domain equations into an s-domain equation through a
corresponding unit step function. There is a derivation for every Laplace transformations and there are
also certain properties that could be used in Laplace transforms. Furthermore, s-domain equations can be
converted back to t-domain equations and that process is called I.L.T. or Inverse Laplace Transform.

During the final period, I learned about the application of Laplace theorem to differential
equations or D.E.. Apparently, it turned out that I could actually solve differential equations using the
ILT by using certain expressions. Moreover, since DE is applied in solving problems with regards to RC
or RL circuits, I could take advantage of my knowledge about Laplace theorem by converting t-domain
equations into s-domain equations and vice-versa in order to solve the current through the circuit at a
certain time 't'. In addition to these, I also learned about the Taylor series and Taylor series expansion.
The expansion equation of the Taylor series can be used to approximate the value of a certain expression
by following a certain formula comprised of differentiation and step-size factor. In relation to this, I
learned about the Taylor polynomial. Given a certain expression and a certain value of 'x', I could
actually find the derivative of function f(x) of any order using the Taylor series expansion. And lastly, I
learned once again about the basic principles of matrix which I learned from the previous courses.
All in all, I learned a great deal of knowledge in Advanced Engineering Mathematics. I believe
that the concepts that I've learned in this course will become a fundamental block of information that I
can use to solve complex engineering problems, which in return, can significantly improve my
professional competence as an ECE student.