This book presents methods for the computational solution of differential equations, both ordinary and partial, time-dependent and steady-state. Finite difference methods are introduced and analyzed in the first four chapters, and finite element methods are studied in chapter five. A very general-purpose and widely-used finite element program, PDE2D, which implements many of the methods studied in the earlier chapters, is presented and documented in Appendix A.
The book contains the relevant theory and error analysis for most of the methods studied, but also emphasizes the practical aspects involved in implementing the methods. Students using this book will actually see and write programs (FORTRAN or MATLAB) for solving ordinary and partial differential equations, using both finite differences and finite elements. In addition, they will be able to solve very difficult partial differential equations using the software PDE2D, presented in Appendix A. PDE2D solves very general steady-state, time-dependent and eigenvalue PDE systems, in 1D intervals, general 2D regions, and a wide range of simple 3D regions.
Charlotte y Peter Fiell son dos autoridades en historia, teoría y crítica del diseño y han escrito más de sesenta libros sobre la materia, muchos de los cuales se han convertido en éxitos de ventas. También han impartido conferencias y cursos como profesores invitados, han comisariado exposiciones y asesorado a fabricantes, museos, salas de subastas y grandes coleccionistas privados de todo el mundo. Los Fiell han escrito numerosos libros para TASCHEN, entre los que se incluyen 1000 Chairs, Diseño del siglo XX, El diseño industrial de la A a la Z, Scandinavian Design y Diseño del siglo XXI.