Chemical engineering students, similar to other engineering students, typically take a sequence of three semester courses in mathematics covering various topics in analytical geometry and calculus. The topics covered in these courses include functions, limits and continuity, series, integration and differentiation, vectors, algebraic and transcendental equations, numerical techniques, conics and solid geometry, and so on. These courses are generally prerequisites for a course on differential equations, which is one of the most important courses in the education of an engineer. Students learn about first- and higher-order differential equations; initial and boundary value problems; solution techniques for equations, including series solutions and Laplace transforms; and systems of linear equations. These differential equations are representative of the mathematical models of systems encountered in the engineering field.
The relationship between various science and engineering courses that are essential for the education of a chemical engineer is summarized in Figure 3.17.
Figure 3.17 Hierarchy of technical courses in chemical engineering curriculum.
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