Homework

All homework assignments will be due at 5pm CT on the course Canvas site. Please refer to the syllabus (or the end of this page) about the late-day policy. New homework questions will be posted here by midnight on the day the previous assignment is due. Solutions will be uploaded to the Canvas site after the grading is complete.

A note about coding

You may use any programming language (e.g., Python, MATLAB, Julia, Mathematica, etc.) listed in the logistics slides (Slide 7–11) for your homework assignments. Slide 11 also lists a few self-paced resources for refreshing programming skills on these languages.

If you are new to Python and would like to learn this language via this course, you can check out the Python tutorial on the course GitHub. You can also refer to this link for instructions on how to run Python on your computer or on the cloud.

A note about submission

All assignments should be submitted on Canvas, which will redirect each submission to Gradescope for final submission. Each assignment requires two separate submissions, marked as (pdf) and (code):

• (pdf): Submit a single PDF of your writeup.
  • This document should be self-contained and include all solutions (text, equations, figures, etc.). Failure to do so will result in point deductions for the corresponding questions.
  • If you complete the assignment in a Python notebook, please export it as a PDF.
  • In Gradescope, you will also be prompted to tag each question according to the outline—please do this so the grader can easily navigate your submission.
• (code): Submit all relevant coding files for the assignment. Any standard file format is acceptable.
  • If you use Python notebooks, please submit both the notebook file (.ipynb) and an exported script file (.py) of your Python notebook. If you use VS Code, you can click on the three dots in the top menu and select "Export" then "Python Script". Or you could convert a .ipynb to a Python script via command line.
  • Failure to submit all relevant code files or missing .py files will result in point deductions for the corresponding questions.

A note about writing

If you read any textbook or scientific article, you will see that there is a standard way of writing mathematics, in which equations form part of full sentences and occur naturally with the flow of the text. While completely optional, you may wish to practice this in writing your assignments. In general, the solutions and notes posted here try to adhere to this standard.

One way to write mathematics like this is to make use of the free software package LATEX, which can produce very high quality scientific documents, and is used extensively by mathematicians, physicists, and engineers. There is an excellent guide, The Not So Short Introduction to LATEX2ε, which can be used to get started. The homework assignments and solutions are all written in LATEX.

A note about academic integrity

Students should carefully read the UW–Madison academic integrity policy in the course syllabus. Collaboration on homework assignments and discussion with other students is encouraged, but each student must write solutions in his/her/their own words, and not copy them from anyone else. You must list the names of students with whom you have collaborated.

In addition, you must cite any books, articles, websites, lectures, etc. that have helped you with your work using appropriate citation practices. Use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Copilot, etc.) is not allowed for the writeup and code. Please refer to the course syllabus for more details on this course's academic integrity and AI policies.

Late-day policy

Each student will have a total of 12 late-days over the course of the semester (Spring 2026). Late days can be used only for homework assignments. Late days can not be used for quizzes or exams.

• A late-day is defined as a 24-hour period after the original deadline (i.e., 5pm CT on the following day). No partial late-day will be given.
• A maximum of 3 late days may be applied to any single homework assignment. Late submission window on Gradescope will automatically close after 3 days and no further submissions will be accepted, regardless of remaining late days.
• Each time a student uses late days, they must complete the Late-day tracking form before the original deadline. Failure to record late-day usage will be treated as not having used late days, and the corresponding homework will be graded as late without late-day credit. The form can only be submitted once per homework assignment. If you submit the form multiple times for the same homework, only the first submission will be considered.
• Requests to use more than 3 late days on a single homework due to documented emergencies or obligations must be submitted to the instructor before the original deadline. Such requests will be evaluated case by case and are not guaranteed.
• Students are responsible for tracking their own late-day balance. Once a student has exhausted all 12 late days, any further late homework submissions will incur a penalty of 5% of the total homework score per 12-hour period, applied retroactively from the original deadline.