Special Topics in Mathematics with Applications: Linear Algebra and the Calculus of Variations
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this graduate-level topics course built for mechanical engineering students who need mathematical tools beyond the standard curriculum. This year's version concentrates on linear algebra and the calculus of variations, with applications drawn largely from the microstructures of crystalline solids and connections to solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, and energy methods. Materials include lecture notes and assignments covering the selected topics, with emphasis on basic ideas rather than exhaustive theory. The course is aimed mainly at students heading toward mechanics-related fields, though the mathematical content stands on its own. As with other MIT OCW offerings, all course materials are freely available online with no certificate or fee attached, following MIT's open courseware model.