Forward

Constructing computer simulations is perhaps one of the funnest things one can do with a computer. Imagine the thrill of simulating an entire planet inhabited with life-like beings going about their business, pondering life's big questions? Ok, we aren't quite there yet, but already we have access to countless games that simulate one phenomenon or another for the purposes of entertainment. Think SimCity that simulates a metropolis, or Factorio that simulates, what can only be described as, a logistics nightmare. We have games that simulate driving cars, flying airplanes, playing soccer, hunting big game, and fighting in wars, etc. Similarly we have games that simulate entire worlds populated with dinosaurs and robots and everything in-between: Xenoblade, any one.

Within this context, this course aims to introduce students to computer simulations. We will not be using simulation packages rather we will explore the mathematical models and programming practices that underpin systems that can be used to create computer simulations.

Entertainment and games are not the primary use of computer simulations however. Designers and engineers rely heavily on simulations when designing and implementing complex systems, e.g., airplanes, bridges, highways, drugs, nuclear reactors, etc. Simulations enable us to ask the what if question, which is especially useful when we do not have the access to the actual system or when it is simply too dangerous to run the experiments on the actual system. E.g., how many cars before a bridge collapses? Clearly, we cannot pile cars on a bridge and wait for it to collapse! Many a times simulation is the only mechanism through which we can study a phynomenon.

Another use of simulations is in education and training sphere where it is sometimes easier, cheaper, less dangerous to use a simulation for training. Think how pilots are routinely trained on high-fidelity flight simulators.

Within this context, we will discuss the mathematics, physics, and statistics theory plus programming practices that underpin modern computer simulations. The focus is not to use existing computer simulation tools rather the course aims at developing competency needed to implement computer simulations. By necessity we will focus on setting up simulations for toy problems, such as a ball bouncing on an inclined plane, a factory floor, nuclear decay, random walks, etc.

Notes

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