PHYS 321: Tools and Data Analysis

Physics · 4 credits · Physics and Astronomy

Introduction to error analysis, data handling, and numerical solution methods in physics using computer programs such as KaleidaGraph, Mathematica, and LabView. Lecture and computer lab.

Offered in 1 of the 26 listed terms (Fall 2026).

Catalog entry Browse Classes Textbooks (WWU Bookstore)

Prerequisites

PHYS 163 and MATH 224 and (CSCI 140 or CSCI 141)

Prerequisite tree

Each course's own prerequisites, down to the first courses in the chain.

PHYS 163 Physics with Calculus III
requires PHYS 162 and ((MATH 124 and MATH 125) or (MATH 134 and MATH 135) or MATH 138)
- PHYS 162 Physics with Calculus II
  requires (PHYS 161 or HNRS 211) and ((MATH 124 and MATH 125) or (MATH 134 and MATH 135) or MATH 138)
  - PHYS 161 Physics with Calculus I
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
      requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
      - MATH 115 Precalculus II
        requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
        MATH 114 Precalculus I
        requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 (continues on its page)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
        requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
      requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
      - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
      - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
      requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
  - HNRS 211 Colloquium in Physics
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 3 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
    - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
    requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II
      requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
      - MATH 114 Precalculus I
        requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
        MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S) (continues on its page)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
    requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4
    - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
    - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
    requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
    - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
    - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
    requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 153 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 2.30 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 80
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II
    requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
    - MATH 114 Precalculus I
      requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
      - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
        MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
        MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
        MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
        requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
- MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II
  requires MATH 124 or MATH 134 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4
  - MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
  - MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
- MATH 134 Calculus I Honors
  requires MATH 115 (minimum grade A) or MATH 118 (minimum grade A) or Math Placement - Advanced 2, score 20 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 5
  - MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
  - MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus (shown above)
- MATH 135 Calculus II Honors
- MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus
  requires Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 4 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 4 or (Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 2 and Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 3)
MATH 224 Multivariable Calculus and Geometry I
requires MATH 125 or MATH 135 or MATH 138 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 5 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 4 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 5
- MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
- MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
- MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
CSCI 140 Programming Fundamentals in C++
requires MATH 112 or MATH 115 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 156 or MATH 204 or MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55
- MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods
  requires MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or MATH 099 (minimum grade YP) or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Intermediate Algebra (IA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 148 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 35 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 2 or MATH 197C (minimum grade S) or MATH 109 (minimum grade S)
  - MATH 099 Introductory Algebra
    requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 1
  - MATH 197C Support Topics for Functions and Algebraic Methods
    requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
  - MATH 109 Support for Functions and Algebraic Methods
    requires ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 30
- MATH 115 Precalculus II
  requires MATH 114 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 65
  - MATH 114 Precalculus I
    requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
    - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
- MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
- MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or MATH 112
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 204 Elementary Linear Algebra
  requires MATH 125 or MATH 135 or MATH 138
  - MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
  - MATH 135 Calculus II Honors (shown above)
  - MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
- MATH 114 Precalculus I
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 153 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55 or MATH 112 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70
  - MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
CSCI 141 Computer Programming I
requires MATH 112 or MATH 114 or MATH 115 or MATH 118 or MATH 124 or MATH 125 or MATH 134 or MATH 138 or MATH 156 or MATH 204 or Pre-Calculus 1 (PC1), score 1.70 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 3 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or Pre-Calculus (PC), score 1.70 or Pre-Calculus 2 (PC2), score 1.70 or College Algebra (CA), score 1.70 or MPT General - Scaled Score, score 152 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 143 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 55
- MATH 112 Functions and Algebraic Methods (shown above)
- MATH 114 Precalculus I (shown above)
- MATH 115 Precalculus II (shown above)
- MATH 118 Accelerated Precalculus
  requires MPT General - Scaled Score, score 158 or MPT - Advanced - Scaled Score, score 149 or Precalculus AP Exam (AP65), score 4 or Calculus AB AP Exam (AP66), score 2 or Calculus BC AP Exam (AP68), score 3 or Calc AB Subscore AP Exm (AP69), score 2 or ALEKS Math Placement Assessmnt, score 70
- MATH 124 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I (shown above)
- MATH 125 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II (shown above)
- MATH 134 Calculus I Honors (shown above)
- MATH 138 Accelerated Calculus (shown above)
- MATH 156 Algebra With Applications to Business and Economics (shown above)
- MATH 204 Elementary Linear Algebra (shown above)

From Banner's catalog for Spring 2027. Banner lists only the requisites it enforces, so check the catalog entry too.

Required by (2)

PHYS 322, PHYS 486

What it leads to

Courses that list it as a prerequisite, then the courses that list those, 2 levels deep.

PHYS 322 Fundamentals of Electronics
- PHYS 391 Junior Lab (continues on its page)
PHYS 486 Computational Physics

Syllabi and course websites

None listed yet.

Suggest a syllabus link

Instructors

Instructor	Sections	Terms
Le, Thanh	2	Fall 2026

Every offering in the listed terms (2 sections)

Term	Sec	CRN	Type	Meets	Instructor	Enrolled	Delivery
Fall 2026	0	43712	Lecture/Lab	M 10:00am-10:50am · CF 314 W 10:00am-11:50am · CF 315 W 10:00am-11:50am · CF 024 F 10:00am-11:50am · CF 316	Le, Thanh	19/18	Face to Face Instruction
Fall 2026	0	43713	Lecture/Lab	M 10:00am-10:50am · CF 314 R 10:00am-11:50am · CF 315 R 10:00am-11:50am · CF 024 F 10:00am-11:50am · CF 316	Le, Thanh	18/18	Face to Face Instruction