Introduction To Matlab Using A Theoretical Mechanics Study Case

The paper describes a 5 weeks module of a 3 credits Advanced Mechanics of Materials class taught in the Fall 2002 semester at University of Bucharest. The module realized an introduction to the plotting, matrix computation and scientific algebra capabilities of the software MATLAB, while allowing the students to apply their newly acquired software knowledge to a meaningful and challenging physical problem, namely the behavior of a slender cylindrical bar in an uniaxial test. It is the conviction of the authors that this type of module it is well suited for the first part of an Advanced Mechanics of Materials class, or of any other class that starts by reviewing notions introduced in previous courses and that would benefit from the use by students of a symbolic calculation software.