Congratulations and Bon Voyage, Allan Espinosa

.

Photo Caption: (L-R) Dr. Nathaniel Libatique, Kevin Cristobal, Dr. Rafael Saldaña, and Allan Espinosa.

.

Congratulations to Allan Espinosa who will commence soon his graduate studies (leading to Ph.D. in Computer Science) in the University of Chicago, USA under the tutelage of the famous Dr. Ian Foster (grid computing guru).

.

Allan is a junior faculty member of the Electronics, Communicatios, and Computer Engineering (ECCE) Department of Ateneo de Manila University and the cluster system administrator of the School of Science and Engineering. He is my co-author in several papers in computer science.

.

Allan is also an alumnus of the Philippine Science High School (Batch 2002) and Ateneo de Manila University (Class of 2007).

.

Allan's blog is titled "R-Squared" (http://allan.88-mph.net/blog/).

.

Bon voyage, Allan. Keep up the good work!

.

From,

.

Dr. Rafael Saldaña

Coordinator

Grid and High Performance Computing Initiative

School of Science and Engineering

Ateneo de Manila University

Activity List, 6/12/08

.
Here are my activities for today (12 June 2008):

9:30 am -- Went to the bank to pay bills and to transfer funds.

12:00 noon -- Met my Ma 20 class. Topics: Slope of the secant line, slope of the tangent line, derivative as the slope of the tangent line, derivative of sum and difference of two functions, evaluating the derivative of functions involving radicals using the power rule.

1:30 p.m. -- Met my Ma195a.15/Ma 256 class. Topics: Bisection method (algorithm and example), finding the error bound for the bisection method.

5:30 p.m -- Organized a despedida dinner for Allan Espinosa (cluster system administrator and junior faculty of the ECCE department). Allan is leaving for Chicago, USA on Monday (6/16/08)to pursue graduate studies (leading to Ph.D. in Computer Science) under the tutelage of Dr. Ian Foster (the Grid Computing guru).

.

List of Students, Ma 256 (2008)

.
.
Below is a list of my graduate students in Ma 256 (Numerical Analysis I), 1st Semester, Schoolyear 2008-2009, in Ateneo de Manila University:

1. GASTON, James
2. LLANURA, Mario Danilo

.

List of Students, Ma 195a.15 B (2008)

.
.
Below is a list of my students in Ma 195a.15 (Seminar in Numerical Analysis) Section B, 1st Semestey, Schoolyear 2008-2009, in Ateneo de Manila University:



1. ANGELES, Eumir Alexis
2. ATIENZA, Gabriel
3. AZAJAR, Seth Joshu
4. BARIT, Rod Christopher
5. BASA, Neil Agustine
6. BUENAVENTURA, Keith
7. CHAN, Christine
8. CONCEPCION, Carlo Castor
9. DALISAY, Karla Angelleeen
10. DE PERALTA, Raymond
11. ESPENILLA, Oscar Dennis
12. GO, Earvin Rayner
13. GUECO, Angelo
14. HERRERA, Eduardo Miguel
15. INFANTE, Martin Manuel
16. LAIZ III, Francisco
17. MATURAN, Hileufel
18. MAYOL, Ray Bastien
19. PANTE, Vincent Filologo
20. ROBLES, Jannica
21. ROCO, Francis Carlo
22. SIY, Jet Galen
23. SYLING, Pamela Cheyne
24. TAN, Joseph Alvin
25. TIAM-LEE, Rainier Jared
26. TORCULAS, Reggie Anne
27. TORRES, ALLEN Dominique
28. YUTUC, Yvanne Paolo

.

List of Students, Ma 20 A (2008)

.
.
Below is a list of my students in Ma 20 (Calculus for Economists), Section A, 1st Semester, Schoolyear 2008-2009, in Ateneo de Manila University:


1. ADONA, Ann Jillian
2. AFABLE, Angeli Elysse
3. AGUILA, Arthur Martin
4. CABANTAC, Bryant
5. CARPIO, Patricia Nicole
6. CHUA, Robert
7. DE GUZMAN, Ralph Ernest
8. DE VEYRA, Jamie Elise
9. DE VEYRA, Marian Johanna
10. DEMOT, Reichelle Jane
11. DIONISIO, Van Clifford
12. EVANGELISTA, Ramon Geoffrey
13. GAISANO, Justin Vincent
14. GAISANO JR., Peter Michael
15. GARCIA, Ricardo Carlos
16. MACAVINTA, Mervin Karl
17. MARASIGAN, Daniel Robin
18. MONJE, Jose Isaac
19. OENTORO, Stepanie
20. PERIQUET, Joseph Jay
21. PILAR, Marcy Leonora
22. RODEROS, Ray Anthony
23. ROJAS, Miguel Antonio
24. ROWAN, Kristine
25. TIOSECO, Angeles Linda
26. VELASQUEZ, Joseph Rey
27. VERAYO, Mark Gilbert
28. YU, Hazel Karen

.

Activities (6/11/08)

.
.
Here are my activities on June 11, 2008:

• 9 a.m. Meeting with Ms. Ines Loge, Embassy of France to the Philippines, Maka City; submitted my papers for my SCHENGEN visa for my trip to Paris, France in July

• 11:30 a.m. Ma 20 Class; Topics: Average rate of change, instantaneous rate of change, the derivative as intantaneous rate of change

• Sometime in the afternoon: I received a notice of meeting from CHED (Commission on Higher Education) informing me that there will be a workshop on the RQAT Manual and Evaluation Instrument, Technical Panel for Information Technology, Technical Committee on Curriculum Development, on June 12-13, 2008 at Crown Regency Hotel.

• 6:00 p.m. Board Meeting, PSHS National Alumni Association, PSHS, Diliman, Quezon City

Note: There was a sudden downpour yesterday, causing many streets to be flooded and heavy traffic everywhere.

PSHS National Alumni Association Board Meeting (6/11/08)

Photo Caption: Members of the PSHS National Alumni Association Board of Trustees met last June 11, 2008 in PSHS, Quezon City to discuss preparations for the PSHS NAA annual general meeting scheduled on June 14, 2008. In photo are (L-R) Joel Garduce (Board Member), Raffy Saldana (Board Secretary), Ciel Habito (Chairman/President), Roggie Zenarosa (Treasurer), Raymond Ancog (Asst. Secretary), Dang Flores (Board Member), Jun Sabug (Vice-President), and Eric Soriano (Board Member).
.

"Why I Blog" -- Jim Paredes Tells Why

.


Photo: Jim Paredes (Source: http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net/)

It's been almost one year since I started blogging seriously. Now, I average more than one blog entry per day. I wonder if I can sustain this "blogging energy."

Last Sunday, 8 June 2008, I read an interesting article in the Philippine Star. This article is by Jim Paredes who maintains a column called "Humming in My Universe." The title of the article is "Why I blog."

Note: Jim Paredes is a member of the famous Filipino singing group called Apo Hiking Society. Jim is also an Ateneo alumnus. He maintains a blog titled "Writing on Air" (http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net/).

In his article, Jim tells his readers why he is a blogger:


"One gets to dialogue not with one or two people at any given time but with the whole world -- that is, if you can get everyone to visit your blog site...


"Why expose myself to comment, some of which can be downright negative and nasty, as my anonymous reader asks?... It is because, deep down, we all need to connec to others. We are alive when we are connected. My own yearning to connect is heightened and colored by my artistic bent. I am an artist. Arts must create, and must release their creations to the world in more ways and with more ugency than non-artists do. It is my nature to communicate. It is therapeutic for me...


"A writer writes with the hope that the world will read what he writes. I make songs so that people will sing them. The very nature of creativity is to take wings and fly, catch someone's imagination or land somewhere where it can embed itself in someone's life and thus make its mark on the world.

"In the Christian tradition, we are told that God made the world in His own image and likeness. A book, a song, an architectural design, a poem, a painting or any other work of creation is a creator's way of trying to be God-like. By making his/her own imprint on the world. In my case, writing/blogging is hust one way of making my mark by conversing and sharing my thoughts with inhabitants of this place called cyberspace. I write and leave behind my own image and likeness. There is a layman's theological explanation to this: Just as it is God's nature to be everywhere, it is within us as heirs to divinity to attempt to do likewise!

"If I had been an American Indian two centuries ago, I would have been adept at smoke signals in my need to communicate with people in the distance. If I had been a caveman, I woould have carved drawings in my cave. Expression and creativity are natural impulse.

"Just as our cells multiply, I wish to multiply my presence in the world. In sexual terms, gustong magpalahi. Do you every wonder why a man releases six million sper cells when only one is needed to create life? My theory is because life likes to express its own abundant self.

"The risk of course, is that one can get criticized, condemned, laughed at, just as one can receive praise and adulation. That's okay. It comes with the territory. The very act of being alive is to accept the risk of being exposed to the ups and downs, the ying and yang of living. Where there is light, there must be shadow. Opposites exist tov alidate each other.

"In the cyber age, I dare say, it is better to blog, even if I get criticized, than not to blog at all!"

In my case I started blogging because I wanted to document most of my actitivities during my sabbatical leave (See http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2007/06/nth-attempt-at-blogging.html and http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com/2007/06/sabbatical-leave.html)

But somehow I identify with what Jim wrote in his article. Oftentimes I find a yearning to create. Does this make me an artist? Well, I believe that everyone (as a human being) has an "artistic side."

If Jim Paredes paraphrased a famous quote from William Shakespeare ('It is better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all"), I would like to paraphrase a famous quote from Rene Descartes ("I think therefore I am"): "I BLOG therefore I AM."

.

Cheers,

.

Raffy

6/11/08

.

Photos: First Day of School (6/10/08)

Photo Caption: Ma 195a.15 (Seminar on Numerical Analysis) students of Dr. Rafael Saldaña

Photo caption: Ma 20 A (Calculus for Economists) students of Dr. Rafael Saldaña

(L-R): Ateneo de Manila University faculty Dr. Rafael Saldaña, Allan Espinosa, Dr. Nathaniel Libatique with officials and staff of the Japan Radio Corporation during the culminating activity of the WIPAS project.

.

To view more photos, click on the links below:

(Ma 20)

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/125/Class_Picture_Ma_20_A_61008

(Ma 195a.15)

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/126/Class_photo_Ma_195a.15_61008

(WIPAS)

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/124/WIPAS_Photos_61008_Ateneo_de_Manila_University

.

Back to School: First Day of Classes (Ateneo de Manila University)

.

After one year of sabbatical leave and one term of summer leave I am now back to my teaching duties in Ateneo de Manila University. And I felt "excited."

Today, 10 June 2008, is the start of classes for the first semester of the schoolyear 2008-2009.

Here are some of the activities that transpired during my first day in school:

1. Attended the WIPAS culminating activity organized by the Department of Electronics Communications and Computer Engineering (ECCE) held from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 nn (with lunch aftterwards) in Rm. CTC 201. There were Japanese visitors (from Japan Radio company), government officials (from the Philippine Port Authority and PAG-ASA), and university officials (Dr. Antonette Palma, Dr. Ma. Assunta Cuyegkeng, Dr. Fabian Dayrit, etc.) during the culminating activity.

2. Met my Ma 20 A (Calculus for Economists) class.

3. Met my Ma 195a.15 (Seminar in Numerical Analysis) class.

4. Was informed that I will have an additional teaching load -- AMC 124 (Discrete Mathematics for Computer Science).

5. Followed-up the necessary documents for my (SCHENGEN) visa interview tomorrow, June 11 (Wed) at the French Embassy in Makati City for my trip to France in July.

6. Went to the library to borrow books that I will use as supplementary materials for my classes.

.

Syllabus, Seminar on Numerical Analysis (Ma 195a.15)

Ma 195a.15-A (1st Sem 08-09)
Seminar on Numerical Analysis
1200-1330 TTH
Professor: Rafael Saldaña, Ph.D.
Consultation: W-F 1500 - 1700 or by appointment
Textbook: Elementary Numerical Analysis, Atkinson

.
Course Description: Solutions of Equations in One Variable, Interpolation and Polynomial Approximation, Numerical Differentiation and Integration, Initial Value Problems for Ordinary Differential Equations.

Prerequisite: Ma 22, Knowledge of SciLab is helpful

Course outline:

Topics/Sections /Tentative/Exam Date

LT1/Solutions of Equations in One Variable/2.1-2.3,2.6

LT2/Interpolation and Polynomial Approximation/3.1-3.4

LT3/Numerical Differentiation and Integration/4.1-4-5

LT4/Initial Value Problems for Ordinary Differential Equations/5.1-5.5

Final Exams: Oct 6-11


Course Requirements:

4 Long Exams (100 pts each) (the lowest will be cancelled)... 400
Final Exam (200 pts) ... 200
Quizzes, Problem Sets ... 100 (max)


Grading System/Class Policies:

92 – 100 = A
86 – 91 = B+
77 – 85 = B
69 – 76 = C+
60 – 68 = C
50 – 59 = D
Below 50 = F

The final grade is computed as follows:
(total score/highest possible sum) x 100%
converted to a letter grade based on the above table.

• A student with a class standing of at least 90% prior to cancellation of the lowest exam may be exempted from taking the final exams.
  
• There will be no make-up quizzes or homework.
  
• Use short bond paper and pens in exams.
  
• Always bring a scientific calculator.
  
• Absence in a TTh class meeting is considered 1 ½ cuts; in an MWF meeting, 1 cut. Any student who accumulates more than 18 cuts will get a final grade of W. A Late is considered a cut.
  
• No eating, sleeping, using of cellular phones during class. Cellular phones must be in silent mode. Avoid going out of class once classes have started unless there is an emergency.
  
• The teacher reserves the right to send anyone out of the classroom on the grounds of discourtesy to the teacher or to a fellow student, misbehavior in the classroom, & other reasons provided in the student handbook.

In Memoriam: Florina "Lorie" Saldaña

.
.


Florina "Lorie" Saldaña
June 16, 1956 - June 8, 1995

In loving memory of parents and brothers.

Note: June 8 marks the 13th death anniversary of my only sister, Lorie. She died at the age of 39 from breast cancer.

Freshman Orientation Seminar, Ateneo de Manila University, 6/7/08

.
.

Above: Some of the photos taken during the Freshmen Orientation Seminar held on June 7, 2008 in Ateneo de Manila University.

.

Click on the following link to see more photos:

.

http://booleanlogic.multiply.com/photos/album/123/Ateneo_Freshmen_Orientation_Seminar_6708#1

.

Today, 7 June 2008, I attended the Freshman Orientation Seminar organized by the Mathematics Department of Ateneo de Manila University to welcome new students (Freshmen) to Ateneo. Our department has more than 60 new students who will take up BS Math, BS Applied Mathematics Computing (AMC), and BS/M Applied Mathematics Finance (AMF).

.

WELCOME to all Freshmen!

.

WIPAS (Wireless) Project Completion Ceremony (Ateneo de Manila University)

.
Note: I received rently an invitation from Dr. Nathaniel Libatique -- Director, PLDT-Ateneo Advanced Network Trestbed and Chair, Electronics Communications and Computer Engineering (ECCE) Department of Ateneo de Manila University -- to attend the WIPAS Project Completion Ceremony scheduled on 10 June 2008 at Rm. 201, PLDT CTC Bldg. The WIPAS is a collaborative project ampong Japan Radio Co., Ltd, Ateneo de Manila University and PLDT-SMART.
.
Below is the tentative program:
.

WIPAS PROJECT COMPLETION CEREMONY
Japan Radio Co., Ltd – Ateneo de Manila University – PLDT-SMART COLLABORATIVE PROJECT
ROOM 201, PLDT-CTC Bldg., 10 JUNE 2008


OPENING PROGRAM (10:30 A.M.)

Invocation
Engr. Maria Leonora Guico
Coordinator – Ateneo SMART-SWEEP Program

Philippine National Anthem

Welcome Remarks – Ateneo
Fabian Dayrit, Ph.D.
DEAN – School of Science & Engineering
Introduction by Ms. Catherine Ramos

Welcome Remarks – JRC
Mikio Saito
DIRECTOR – Japan Radio Co., Ltd
Introduction by Mr. Masaru Saito

Company Presentation
Todd Hitosugi
Manager, Sales and Marketing – Japan Radio Co. Ltd.

Wipas Project & Wireless Research
Dr. Nathaniel Libatique
Director, PLDT-Ateneo Advanced Network Testbed
Chair, ECCE Department

PAGASA Perspective, Needs and Vision
Prisco Nilo, Ph.D.
Director, PAGASA

PLDT-SMART Wireless Broadband
(TBA)
Expansion and Future Directions SMART-PLDT


LUNCH

Ma 20 (Calculus), Lesson No. 1

.
. [Note: Draft version, 7 June 2008]


Photo Captions: Sir Isaac Newton (left) and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (right)
(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculus )

Ma 20 (Calculus for Economists)
Lesson No. 1
10 June 2008

Topic: Introduction to the Derivative

Outline:

1. Brief Introduction to Calculus
2. Operational Definition of the Derivative
3. The derivative of some functions
3.1 y = c (where c is a constant)
3.2 y = x
3.3 y = cx^n (where c is a constant, x is the independent variable, and n is an integer)
4. Examples
5. Exercises


1. Brief Introduction to Calculus

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculus )

• Calculus (Latin, calculus, a small stone used for counting) is a branch of mathematics that includes the study of limits, derivatives, integrals, and infinite series, and constitutes a major part of modern university education.
  
  
  
• Historically, it was sometimes referred to as "the calculus of infinitesimals", but that usage is seldom seen today. Most basically, calculus is the study of change, in the same way that geometry is the study of space.
  




• Calculus has widespread applications in science and engineering and is used to solve problems for which algebra alone is insufficient. Calculus builds on algebra, trigonometry, and analytic geometry and includes two major branches, differential calculus and integral calculus, that are related by the fundamental theorem of calculus.

• In more advanced mathematics, calculus is usually called analysis and is defined as the study of functions.

History

The development of Calculus is attributed to two great mathematicians: Sir Isaac Newton (from England) and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (from Germany).

Leibniz and Newton pulled earlier ideas together into a coherent whole and they are usually credited with the independent and nearly simultaneous invention of calculus. Newton was the first to apply calculus to general physics and Leibniz developed much of the notation used in calculus today; he often spent days determining appropriate symbols for concepts. The basic insight that both Newton and Leibniz had was the fundamental theorem of calculus.

2. Operational Definition of the Derivative

Calculus may be divided into two parts: Differential Calculus and Integral Calculus.

Differential Calculus deals with derivatives of functions and differentation.

Integral Calculus deals with antiderivatives (or integrals) of functions and antidifferentiation (or integration)

• Given a function y = f(x), we say that the "derivative" of y with respect to (wrt) x is given by
  

y' = dy/dx = f '(x)

Read: "y prime", "dee-why dee-eks", and "f prime of x"

The derivative a function is another function.

3. The Derivative of Some Functions

• The derivative of y = c (where c is a constant)

If c is a constant, then the derivative of y = c wrt x is given by

y' = 0 (zero)

• The derivative of y = x (where x is the independent variable)
  

If y = x, then the derivative of y wrt x is given by y' = 1

• The derivative of y = cx^n (where c is a constant, x is the independent variable, and n is an integer)
  
  

If y = cx^n, then the derivative of y wrt x is given by

y' = ncx^(n-1)

4. Examples:

Find the derivative y' of the following functions:

1. y = 5

2. y = 2x/2

3. y = x^3

4. y = 4x^5

5. y = bx^10, where b is a constant

Solutions:

1. y' = 0

2. y = 2x/2 = x, therefore y' = 1

3. y' = 3x^(3 - 1), y' = 3x^2 (Note: c = 1)

4. y' = 5(4)x^(5 - 1), y' = 20x^4

5. y' = 10bx^(10 -1), y' = 10bx^9