Dear Bill:
I too am appalled at the abandonment of a solid numerical analysis
course in engineering education. Consider the common problem of solving a
set of linear, independent algebraic equations. Students have to be shown
that Cramer's rule will not work when using the (inevitable) finite
resolution of a computer or calculator. Of course, some of the time
Cramer's rule does work so it is important to teach students why it does not
work in general.
This is relevant to antennas where we routinely need to solve large sets
of equations. When using a computer to perform calculations, one needs to
think differently about methods than in the day when one needed to use large
sheets of paper and a pen.
If one is to use numbers, one needs to know the limitations of methods
of use.
73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"Bill Ogden" wrote in message
...
Back in the dark ages, when I was in school, we were "encouraged" to take
a
numerical analysis course if we were interested in computers. (I was an
EE
major.) It was not an easy topic, but it made us well aware of the
difference between correct results and computational precision. I was
recently astonished to find that most computer science students have no
concept of this area and even less interest in it.


snip

Bill
W2WO