econ_407_fall2020's Introduction

ECON407, Fall 2020

Course material and schedules for ECON407 in 2020 fall

Syllabus

Check Syllabus for more details

Jupyter Hubs

For those who program in Python and want to launch Jupyter notebook on the cloud, you can either use UBC Syzygy Jupyter Hub or Google Colab

Lectures

September 8th: Imagine Day at UBC. Class cancelled.
September 10th: Logistics, Syllabus, Math Review
September 15th:
- Finish Math Review: Leftover proof; Example of constrained optimization; Probability part
- Introduction to Python
  - Setting up Environment: Local installation, or UBC Jupyter Hub
  - Jupyter Notebook Basics: Code block / Markdown block, running codes, function help, etc
  - Try running codes as in An Introductory Example. Make yourself familiar with Jupyter notebook
- Python Basics
  - In addition, go over Writing Good Code by yourselves
September 17th:
- Collections and Numpy vector/matrix operations
  - Please go over Numpy by yourselves
- Control Flow, Functions
  - For those who don't have programming experience before, please go over Python Essentials for reference and details.
September 22nd:
- Briefly cover Numpy vector/matrix
  - Please go over the Jupyter notebook carefully. We won't go over all of them in detail.
- Finite Markov Chains. Some Python code examples here
September 24th:
- Finish Finite Markov Chains: properties of Markov chain, distribution simulation, etc.
  - Python code examples here
September 29th:
- Introduction to Dynamic Programming:
  - Maximum Path Sum
- The definitions of value function and policy functions
- Handle questions and discussions for Problem Set 1
October 1st:
- Dynamic Programming continued: Shortest Paths on a directed acyclic graph
- An example in Economics: Cake Eating
October 6th
- Problem Set 1 Review
- TBD