the use of calculus in modern day life (Coursework Sample)

Name Name of the lecturer Name of the course Date Calculus Civil engineering is a branch of engineering that focuses on the construction and design of infrastructure. This includes transportation infrastructure such as airports, railways, roads, sewage and water treatment systems, and structures. Civil engineers may work either as designers or site engineers. The application of calculus and other mathematical fields is therefore fundamental. This is because it goes a long way in helping designers make assumptions and projections on structures they have designed. The double integral method (Macaulay’s method) is one of the methods that apply integral calculus. It is employed structural analysis. It aids in determining the deflection of beams. The method is conveniently used for concentrated loads, uniformly distributed loads and uniformly varying loads. Assuming that one has a beam that contains several concentrated loads, it is important that bending moment equations be formulated for each part of the beam next to the load. This helps in obtaining a slope-deflection relationship useful in design. This involves a method of integration. Macaulay’s method provides for the equation that the whole beam can use. Additionally, constants of integration may be obtained from any part of the beam. For a cantilevered beam the deflection and slope are given by finding the 2nd derivative of the equation governing the elastic curve. d 2 y/ dx2 = M(x)/EI The boundary equations give the deflection ‘y’. The direct integration method may be obtained to determine the slope and deflection of a beam. M= EI d2y/dx2 or M/EI= d2y/dx2 integrating this equation once gives the slope dy/dx=  QUOTE

+ A……………………………………. This is the slope of the loaded beam. Integrating the equation once more gives the deflection dy/dx=  QUOTE

 dx +Ax + B…………………………….. Whereby A and B are constants of integration. Interview with a civil engineer What classes and coursework is needed in undergraduate in order to do this course? For a student still in high school, one should concentrate on ensuring they obtain good scores in science, design and mathematics. This is because they form the basis of civil engineering. Other subjects include geography, physics, geology and information technology. They also provide a platform for the course. Specific admission requirements vary from one university to another. However, the above stated are inclusive. Failure to do so may require one to do a bridging course before admission to the degree program. The course takes four to five years again depending on the University of Choice. The course work provided is usually broad as it entails the field of water resources engineering, environmental engineering, structural engineering, , geotechnical engineering, construction, survey , transportation and highway engineering. Not all fields are mandatory. As one advances to their final year, one chooses between the elective units provided for their final area of specialization. The major fields are structural engineering, water resources engineering and environmental engineering. What is your degree and those of your workmates? For one to become a civil engineer you must have pursued a degree in civil engineering. As I told you earlier, the course may take four or five years depending on the University of your Choice. With that in mind, a civil engineer works with people who have specialized in a variety of fields, depending on the type of project. However, most of the time a civil engineer works closely with architects, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, project managers and site administrators. As a civil engineer, one may interact with one of these professionals in their day to day activities. This is because engineering involves a lot of consultation either in design, the project timeline or costs involved. However, an engineer may also encounter other professionals depending on the type of project and location. Did you continue to pursue higher education after your bachelor’s degree? Yes. To remaining competitive in the field, you must pursue atleast a master’s degree. I chose to do a masters degree in construction management so as to venture into the management side of engineering. However, one may specialize in many fields depending on your interests. However, I first worked as a site engineer for three years before heading back for my masters. How did you know that you were bound to be a civil engineer? Right from elementary school, my interests drifted away from sports and arts and towards sciences. This also reflected on my report cards as I did well in science relate subjects and mathematics. I performed averagely in arts and P.E. it was not until high school that I finally decided what type of engineer I wanted to be. The ability to design and create structures fascinated me and I opted for civil engineering. Who is/was your mentor(s)? I have ...