____
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. 38, NO. 4,NOVEMBER 1995
Introducing Undergraduates to the Moment Method
W. Perry Wheless, Jr., Senior Member, IEEE, and Larry T. Wurtz, Member, IEEE
Abstract-Four application problems are presented which have
been found to facilitate introductory instruction on numerical
methods for undergraduate electrical engineering students. The
method of moments (MOM) is introduced at the level of first
principles, preparing students for subsequent advanced topics in
matrix methods and developments through Linear vector space
theory. The problems are such that the associated computer
programming assignments are straightforward, minimizing dis-
traction from the mathematical concepts. Numerical solutions
may be obtained, or verified, with a pocket calculator in some
cases. Computer programs to obtain more sophisticated graphics
output and to expedite solution of equations with large matrices
can be progressively added as supplementary student exercises.
1. INTRODUCTION
T HE METHOD of moments (MOM) [1]-[3] has become
firmly established as a fundamentally important numeri-
cal method in applied electromagnetics. Most major research
universities now incorporate MOM into their curricula, with
formal presentation of the moment method frequently be-
ginning with integral and integro-differential equations. This
paper discusses four variations of a simple boundary-value
problem that have been found useful in the process of in-
troducing undergraduate electrical engineering students to the
moment method. Additional variations can be devised. Appli-
cations that can be successfully concluded, such as described
here, help make students comfortable with matrix methods and
increase their appreciation of the linear vector space theory
inherent in the method. With deeper insight into how linear
operator equations are transformed into a system of linear
algebraic equations, students can proceed faster through more
advanced material [4]-[6].
11. MOTIVATION
Application of the moment method to engineering problems
of practical interest generally is not obvious or direct; prior ex-
perience with a variety of specific problems is essential. While
facility with MOM only results from practice on advanced
problems, there are pedagogical advantages to beginning with
examples that allow the mathematical concepts to be clear,
free from the complications of physical concepts.
There is a tendency on the part of instructors to intro-
duce physical problems straightaway. Because curricula and
students vary, starting with simple physical problems may
be preferable in some cases. Our experience, however, has
been that too many beginning students perceive physical
problems to have idiosyncrasies that obscure the numerical
Manuscript received September 13, 1993; revised March 1, 1994.
The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, University
of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 354874286 USA.
IEEE Log Number 9415219.
0018-9359/95$04.00 0 1995 IEEE
385
method. Such perceptions, whether justified or groundless,
nevertheless affect student attitude and performance. The
introductory approach reported here takes advantage of the
fact that students at this level are more familiar with the
relevant mathematics than with the electromagnetics. Problems
such as those presented in this paper stimulate interest and
provide valuable positive reinforcement to students through
the exhilaration of success in a reasonable time frame.
The material in this paper, as indicated by the title, is
introductory in nature. It is intended that instructors will not
dwell at length on these problems, but will promptly proceed
to appropriate, and progressively more challenging, physical
problems.
111. MOM FUNDAMENTALS
The emphasis here is on the basic MOM requirement of
reducing a functional equation to a matrix equation, through
consideration of inhomogeneous equations of the form
where C is an operator, g is a known excitation (source), f is
the response (field), and where we seek to determine f with C
and g both known. The basic solution procedure follows that
described in [3],with essential points summarized as follows.
Represent the unknown function f by the series expansion
m
n=l
where the an are constant coefficients, to be determined, and
the series of functions fn, in the domain of L, are called basis
or expansion functions. For a finite number N as the upper
limit of summation, the result generally is an approximation
o f f . It is possible to obtain an exact solution even with finite
N , however, in those cases where some combination of the
basis functions allows an exact representation of the solution.
Substituting (2) into (l), under linearity, gives
N
(3)
n=l
A set of weighting, or testing, functions wm is defined
by (arbitrary) choice, and the inner product, taken to be the
integral over the interval of the product of functions in accord
with [3], is formed with the w ,
N
(4)
n=l
386 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. 38, NO. 4, NOVEMBER 1995

so that the progression m = 1 , 2 , 3 . . . , N yields a set of As indicated in the previous section, the elements ,C, of the
equations which can be expressed in matrix form as matrix L are determined by integration, for n = 1 , 2 , . . .,N
N

and m = 1,2,...,N
L
N 1%) = 1974 (5)

where L is an N x N matrix and lan),19,) are N x 1 column

N

vectors, explicitly
while elements in the column vector 19,) are determined by
N

The N coefficients required in (9) to construct the final

solution can be obtained by carrying out the right-hand product
which makes the coefficients required for a solution available indicated in (7).
from the operation The case of N = 1 produces the following results in
Ian) -L-l
N 19,). (7) straightforward fashion:
Cl1= 0.333, 91 0.167, ( ~ = 1 0.50
(13)
IV. BASICEXAMPLE
PROBLEM and f = alz(1- x ' ) = ;(l - z).
The examples that follow treat variations of the boundary- For N = 2
value problem: Given excitation g ( x ) , find response f(x) in L= [,.333 0.5001
the interval 0 5 x 5 1 satisfying 0.500 0.800
-1.00
--d 2 f ( x ) = g ( x ) withf(0) = f(1) = 0. (8)
Ian) =L-'
N
Ism) = (14)
dx2 n

f = nc
1

Clearly, the linear operator is C = - $. Functions for g ( x ) =l

a n [ 4 - z")] = 4 1 +a2f2
can be selected so that simple exact solutions are available for =-x(l-x)+2(1-x2)=x2(1-z).
comparison to the numerical method results.
It is already known that this simple boundary-value problem
While aspects of this problem with the specific source
+
g = 1 4x2 are in [3], it is worthwhile and informative to
study other cases in detail, as suggested by [7]; the specific
sources g = 2(3x - 1) and g = 4(1 - 3x2), with several
different basis and testing functions, are considered here.
has the exact solution

fezact = x2(1- .>

so that the numerical solution for N = 2 is precisely equal to
(15)

Note that to say that the basis functions are in the domain of the exact solution in this case. For other problems, where a
L requires that the functions satisfy both boundary conditions. finite sum for f fails to give an exact solution (see Examples
Also, application of Galerkin's method [8], [9] means that the 3 and 4), we expect to obtain approximate solutions which
basis functions f n and testing functions w, are chosen to be converge to exact results as N increases. A representative
the same. The Galerkin method is illustrated in Examples 1 MAT LAB^^ 1101 program for the computational aspects of
and 3. this problem is the following:
clear;
A. Example I N = input('VuZue of N...')
Obtain a MOM numerical solution of the basic problem as for m = 1:N ;
stated in (8) , using Galerkin's method with the choices of + +
gm(m)= ( m* ( m l ) ) / ( ( m 2 ) * ( m 3)); +
fn -- x - Zn+l = ~ (-1x,) and g = 62 - 2 = 2 ( 3 - ~ 1). for n = 1 : N ;
Solution: The solution sought is f, which is related to the L ( m , n ) = ( m * n ) / ( m n I);+ +
basis functions f n through the series expression for f end; end;
gm = gm';
N
Linv = inv(L);
(9) alphan = Linv * gm;
n=l
z = 0 : .U1 : I ; z = 2'; f = zeros(length(x),I ) ;
as discussed in connection with (2) above. The number of exact = (x."2). * ( 1 . - x);
basis functions combined into the composite solution function for n s = 1 : N ; f = f + ( a l p h a n ( n s ) . * ( z . * ( l . - z . A n s ) ) ) ;
f is N, and the a, are coefficients to be determined by the end;
numerical solution procedure. To apply Galerkin's method, it
is required that Plotting statements are not included in the program above;
for MATLAB, plotting by means of keyboard command entry
w, wn(x) = f,(x) = x(1 - 2 " ) . (10) is both flexible and convenient. Plots for the solutions N = 1
 ~

WHELESS AND WURTZ: INTRODUCING UNDERGRADUATES TO THE MOMENT METHOD 387

and, associated with the match points, the Dirac delta function
0.14- N=2 and
20, = S(x - 2,) (18)
0.12-
is selected for the testingweighting function. Solution of this
/ problem allows students to see that the use of S functions as the
0.1 - /
N=l / method of testing causes the LHS (using the numerical method
/
series solution for f ) and RHS of the problem equation, (16)
in this case, to be precisely equal at the specific spatial match
points where the S functions reside.
/ Evaluation of the elements lmnand g, again requires two
0.04
integrations, which are expedited by the sifting property of
the S function
0.021,/ /
I/ /
"
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
X
0.6 0.7 0.8 01.9 1 @(x - x,)]dx = (n)(n + l)(g)n-l
Fig. 1 Numerical and exact solutions for Example 1
and
1
gm = ( 9 ,w,) = J [4 - 12x2][S(z- x m ) ] d x
and N = 2 = exact are given in Fig. 1. If one escalates to 0 (20)
2
higher values for N , a1 = -1 and a2 = +1 in all cases, but = 4 - (12)(G) .
the higher coefficient values turn out to be zero. For example, Case results for three values of N follow. For N = 1
a3 = a4 = 0 for the specific case N = 4.
Cl1 = 2.0, 91 = -8.0, CY^ = -4.0,
A student learning exercise is to explore the fact that raising and f = a1z(1 - x') = 4x(x - 1). (21)
N to a sufficiently large value causes the matrix to become
nearly singular or badly scaled, and to compare solutions by Using (17), x1 = 1. The LHS of (16) is = -8, and the -$
Gauss elimination against the direct matrix inversion algo- RHS (namely 4 - 1 2 ~ ' )is also 4 - 12 = -8 at x1 = 1.
rithm. The Gauss elimination procedure can be invoked in The case N = 2 results in
MATLAB by changing the two lines
Linu = inu(L)
alphan = Linu * gm
in the program listing above to the single statement
and the corresponding series solution is
alphan = L\gm 2
f= a n [ x ( l - P ) ]= 5x(l - x) - 3x(1 - x2)
using the left division operator which is provided in MATLAB n=l (23)
in addition to the customary right division operator. For this = x(2 - 52 + 3x2).
particular problem, N greater than approximately 11begins to
cause reliability warnings for the standard inversion procedure, Eq. (16) for the f of (23) has LHS=RHS=l for x1 = and
while the corresponding number using Gauss elimination is -8 for 5 2 = 1.
about N = 83. Finally, for N = 3
r2.00 2.00 1.331 r 2.667 1
B. Example 2
For different source g(x) = -12x2 + 4 = 4(1 - 3x2), find
the solution f for
1%) =L-' 19,) =
d 2f = 4(1 - 3x2),
N

-~ f ( 0 ) = f(1) = 0 (16)
dx2 which allows computation of the three-term expression for f
by the use of point-matching. The choice of basis functions 3
f , = x(1 - 2") is continued from Example 1 .
Solution: While point-matching [ 1 11, [ 121 may appear to be
f = can[4
n=l
- xnll = Q l f l + a2f2 + a s f 3 (25)
a different method to students, it can be shown readily [13]
= x ( l - 2x + x3).
that point-matching is encompassed by MOM. To arrive at a We note that - 2
= 4 - 12x2 now, so that (16) is satisfied
point-matching solution, N equispaced points on the interval
0 5 x 5 1 are selected
for all x, as well as at x1 = ;,x2 = 5,
and 2 3 = 1 . Fig. 2
has plots of the three cases against the exact solution, which is
m f = x( 1- 2x+z3), so that the numerical solution for N 2 3 is
x, = - N' m = 1 , 2 , . . . ,N (17)
seen to provide exact results for this problem. Larger N values
388 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. 38, NO. 4, NOVEMBER 1995

I
1 0.151

I _ . . - . - . _N=2
_ I

\
4L51 \\\

\ N=l
\ /
\ /
\ /
\ /
\ /

-1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3
\
\

0.4
> - ,
0.5
- I
,
I
/ -

0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

-0.1' I
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
X X

Fig. 2 Numerical and exact solutions for Example 2. Fig. 3. N = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and exact solutions for Example 3.

will again drive the matrix L toward becoming singular, with N = 2 produces
N L= r . 1 3 3 0.2331
concem in this case arising when N is approximately 19 or 0.067
larger for direct matrix inversion, or approximately 99 when 0.233 0.419 Igm) = [ I o . ~ ~ z(31)
]
Gauss elimination is used. 5.3338
Ian) =L-' N
1%) =

C. Example 3 which gives an approximate solution function of

2
Carrying over g(z) = 4(1 - 3z2) from Example 2, next
consider the Galerkin's method solution to f= a, [x2(1 - x")] = x 2 ( 2 - 5.3332 3 . 3 3 3 ~ ~(32)
). +
n=l
For N = 3, the vectors and matrix tum out to have element
values
[,.133 0.233 0.309
with fn = z 2 ( 1 - 2") now. The major point of this exercise
L= 0.233 0.419 0.567
is to show that while the exact solution cannot be achieved
10.309 0.567 0.778_1 1-0.2331
with any finite number N of the new basis functions, we still
may anticipate that the approximate solution will converge to
14.5831 r (33)

the exact solution as N is monotonically increased.

Solution: For Galerkin's method, we must take
Numerical results for N = 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 are shown in Fig. 3,
again using MATLAB and plotted against the exact solution,
already known from Example 2. Another plot, showing the
and proceed to calculate L and lgm) according to results for N = 10 in order to make the trend perfectly
N

clear, appears in Fig. 4. The approximate solution indeed

1 approaches the exact solution more closely as N increases but,
because the exact solution cannot be expressed as a finite series

zmlda: =
n
+
(mn)(7m 3mn 7n 15) + + combination of the basis functions alfl a2 f 2 +
a s f 3 . . ., +
.[X2(1-
+
3(m 3)(n 3)(m n 3) + + + the numerical solution remains an approximation for finite
N . Using Gauss elimination, the upper size limit for N is
approximately 68, compared to about 10 using direct matrix
inversion.
1
gm = (g,w,) = J 4 ( 1 - 3z2)x2(1- xm)& (29) D. Example 4
0
- - (8m)(2m+l) Solve the boundary-value problem from (8) with g ( x ) =
15(m+3)(m+5).
4( 1 - 3x2) using triangle functions as the expansion functions
Convergence of the solution as N is increased is readily and pulse testing functions, as defined below. The triangle
demonstrated. Starting with the case N = 1 functions, fn = A(z - xn), are
ell = 0.133 91 = -0.067 (yl = -0.500
(34)
and f = a1z2(1 - E ' ) .
WHELESS AND WURTZ: INTRODUCING UNDERGRADUATES TO THE MOMENT METHOD 389

0.151 where S is the Dirac delta function and L has the general

- 2 -1 0 ". 0 0 0
-1 2 -1 ... 0 0 0
0 -1 2 ... 0 0 0
.. ..
L=(N+1)2
N
; . . . (39)
0 0 0 ... 2 -1 0
0 0 0 ... -1 2 -1
- 0 0 0 ..' 0 -1 2

1
gm = (g,w,) = J4(1 - 3 z 2 ) ( N + l)II(x - xm)dx
0
",+&
-0.1'
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 = 4(N + 1) J
1
(1 - 322)dz.
X
x m - g o
Fig. 4 Ar = 10 and exact solutions for Example 3. (40)
The upper and lower limits are modified from the original
A
values of 0 and 1,respectively, as required in order to conform
with the defined extent of the pulse function in z (see Fig. 5).
In view of ( 3 3 , it can be shown that

gm=4-
12m2 +1
(N + 1)2 '

Convergence characteristics are illustrated by considering

the sequence of results for N = 2 , 3 , ... . For N = 2

--" -
Fio 5 Trianole ( A ) and nnlw (IT) functions
__\..,____

about the N equispaced points over the interval 0 5 z 5 1

m
xm = - m = 1 , 2 , 3,..., N (35) The next case, N = 3, gives
N+l
and the testing functions for this problem are defined in terms
of pulses II(z - )2
, by w, = ( N l)II(z - z,). + That is N
0 -16 -2.813
(43)

The basic triangle function A and pulse function II are -0.053

illustrated in Fig. 5. Aid of a computer program is enlisted for numerical results
Solution: The solution f is once more represented by the when N 2 4. A representative MATLAB main program listing
power series follows:
clear;
(37) N = input('Va1ue of N...')
n=l +
Nplus = N 1 ;
The operator L remains - &
and g(z) is given in the problem for m = 1:N ;
+
gm(m) = 4 . - ( ( 1 2 .* m"2) l ) / ( N p l u s l " 2 ) ;
statement. Proceeding with the calculation of values for the
elements of matrix L, taking note of the effect of the second for n = 1:N ;
N
zf m == n; L(m,n ) = 2 . * (Nplusl"2);
derivative on A
elseif abs(m - n ) == I ; L ( m ,n ) = -(Np/usI"2);
cmn = ( L f n ,wm) = else L(m,n) = 0.;
end; end; end; gm = gm';
1
.(N + l)rI(z - z,)dz = ( N + 1)J rI(z - x,) alphan = L\gm;
(38) x = 0:O.Ol:l; z = z'; f = zeros(length(z),1 ) ;
-[-S(z - + 2S(x - x,) - S(z0 - zn+l)]dz +
exact = x. * (1 - 2 . * x z."3);
f + 2 ( N + 1)2 m=n for ns = 1:N ; tri = triangle(x,N , n s ) ;
+
f = f (aZphan(ns)* t r i ) ;
end;
390
0.15
-0.1
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
X [5] E. H. Newman, Simple examples of the method of moments in
Fig. 6 Numerical and exact solutions for Example 4
where the triangle basis functions are each calculated sepa-
rately by the .m file containing
function T = tnangle(a, N , n t )
+
m = n t / ( N 1 ) ;lx = length(x);
T = zeros(lx, 1 ) ;xdzff = zeros(lx, 1 ) ;
xdiff = &(a - ~ m ) ;
for xta = 1 : lx;
zf zdzff(xtz)<l./(N 1 ) ; +
T(xtZ) = T(xt%) + (1. - (abs(z(zti)- am)* ( N +I))));
+
else T ( x t i )= T ( z t z ) 0.;
end; end;
Results for N = 2,4, and 10 are plotted in Fig. 6 against the
exact solution. For N 2 20, the numerical solution becomes
essentially indistinguishable from the exact.
V. CONCLUSION
This paper four drawn from a
of problems that has been found useful in the early stages of
instruction on the moment method in undergraduate electrical
engineering courses at The University of Alabama. Other
educators can devise additional variations.
Student reaction to these problems has henassessed
through two with students during the
term and a final exit interview summary meeting at the end
of each course. Students have endorsed these exercises as
effective and worthwhile, helping them approach subsequent
problems at the level of [4] and [5] with confidence. It
appears that exercises of the nature and scope presented
here make students more comfortable with matrix methods
and increase their interest in more advanced applications of
Undergraduates have remarked that are motivated
to learn more about numerical methods and field theory by
early Success with the family of problems discussed here. ne
associated Computer progam assignments are valuable novice
projects, and students report that the programming for these
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON EDUCATION, VOL. 38, NO. 4, NOVEMBER 1995
exercises is not a significant distraction from the important
concepts.
The examples presented here should provide direct, in-
class assistance similar to that realized at The University of
Alabama for other educators involved in teaching MOM in
undergraduate fields courses.
REFERENCES
[ l ] L. V. Kantorovich and G. P. Akilov, Functional Analysis in Normed
Spaces, translated by D. E. Brown. Oxford: Pergamon, 1964, pp.
586-587.
[2] R. F. Harrington, Matrix methods for field problems, Proc. IEEE, vol.
55, no. 2, pp. 136-149, Feb. 1967.
[3] -, Field Computation by Moment Methods. New York Macmil-
Ian, 1968.
[4] L. L. Tsai and C. E. Smith, Moment methods in electromagnetics for
undergraduates, IEEE Trans. Educ., vol. E-21, no. 1, pp. 14-22, Feb.
0.9 1 1978.
electromagnetics, IEEE Trans. Educ., vol. E-31, no. 3, pp. 193-200,
Aug. 1988.
[6] D. R. Wilton and C. M. Butler, Effective methods for solving inte-
gral and integro-differential equations, Electromagnetics, vol. 1, pp.
289-308, 1981.
[7] C. H. Ma, University of Mississippi Short Course on Applications of
Moment Methods to Field Problems, May 1973.
[8] L. V. Kantorovich and V. I. Krylov, Approximate Methods of Higher
Analysis, 4th ed., translated by C. D. Benster. New York Wiley, 1959,
ch. N.
[9] D. S. Jones, A critique of the variational method in scattering prob-
lems, IRE Trans. Ant. Prop., vol. AP-4, no. 3, pp. 297-301, 1956.
[lo] MATLAB is a registered trademark of The Mathworks, Inc., 24 Prime
Park Way, Natick, MA 01760.
[ l l ] H. Y. Yee and N. F. Auden, Uniform waveguides with arbitrary
cross-section considered by the point-matching method, IEEE Trans.
Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MIT-13, no. 11, pp. 847-851, Nov. 1965.
[I21 R. H. T. Bates, The point-matching method for interior and exterior
two-dimensional boundary-value problems, IEEE Trans. Microwave
Theory Tech., vol. MTT-15, pp. 185-187, Mar. 1967.
[13] R. F. Harrington, Origin and development of the method of moments
for field computation, IEEE Antennas Propagat. Mag., vol. 32, no. 3,
pp. 31-36, June 1990.
W. Perm Wheless. Jr. (M85-SM88) received both the Bachelors deeree
I - ~
in physics and the Masters degree in environmental sciences and engineering
-
from the University of North Carolina. He completed the M.S. degree in
electrical engineering at Georgia Tech in 1974 and from 1974 to 1980 was a
consultant specializing in RF and microwave systems. His doctoral research
was in applied electromagnetics at the University of Mississippi, where he
received the Ph,D, degree in 1986.
He was an Acting Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi from
1984 to 1986. After one year as an Assistant Professor at New Mexico
State University, he joined the faculty of The University of Alabama in
nscaloosa as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering. His principal
research interests include antennas, microwave circuits, and high-frequency
measurements, in to
Dr. Wheless is a registered professional engineer in the states of Mississippi
and North Carolina,
Larry T. Wurtz (M88) received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer
science and the B.S. degree in mathematics from Troy State University, Troy,
AL. and the M.S. and Ph.D. &flees in electrical eneineerinp in 1985 and
1988, respectively, from AuburnUniversity, Aubum, -AL.
He is an Assistant Professor of electrical engineering at The University Of
Alabama, Tuscaloosa. His research interests are in the areas of analog and
digital integrated circuit design, hybrid electronics, RF and microwave circuit
design, and computer architecture.