MTE 204Numerical Methods
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Engineering
- Subject
- Mechatronics Engineering
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Number systems and machine errors; roots of non-linear equations; matrix calculations; Eigenvalue and Eigenvector calculations; interpolation and approximation; numerical integration and solution of ODE's (linear and non-linear) and systems of ODEs; calculation of series; solution methods for PDE's; use of numeric and symbolic computing tools.
Prerequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- MTE202 - Ordinary Differential Equations (0.50)
- Students must be in level 2B or higher
- Enrolled in H-Mechatronics Engineering
- Must have completed the following:
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 4659 | 130 / 130 | MWF 11:30–12:20 |
| TUT 101 | 4660 | 130 / 130 | T 15:30–16:20 |
Reviewed on UW Flow
52% liked it50% easy63% useful
From 73 ratings and 12 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Plug and chug. We had Homeyra. As most comments mentioning said lecturer: she's very unengaging, teaches straight from the textbook and blatantly uses AI to write assessments. The projects were very involved and felt very pointless - which extends to the entirety of the course - but it definitely can be improved on. The attendance from our cohort for this class was the worst out of any course and it was easier for 99% of us to self learn it.
Dec 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Terrible, the whole course felt like getting waterboarded, i would rather do PD. Way too focused on computation such that it made the actually useful concepts feel useless. Prof was bad, unengaging, and got mad at our cohort for not attending the lectures even though she taught almost straight from the textboox except badly. You're better off just reading the textbook.
Dec 2025 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This course was SO boring, but mainly plug and chug, it only gets hard with the PDE stuff near the end.
Sep 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
I found the course content very dry and all the assessments were just plug and chug, but it is all very useful stuff that has already come in handy on a design team project. Duane Cronin was a great lecturer, although there wasn't really anything in the slides beyond what you can read in the textbook.
Aug 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
brainrot
May 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
6 posts and comments in 6 threads mention MTE 204, December 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2017
Any way to disable UWCourseLinker from posting? 16 points, 26 comments
“posting a reply to my comment I find the bot annoying.”
u/Jackhofmann: “PSYCH 483 PSYCH 484 PSYCH 485 PSYCH 486 PSYCH 490R PSYCH 499A PSYCH 499B PSYCH 499C PSYCH 621 PSYCH 630 PSYCH 677A PSYCH 704A PSYCH 704B PSYCH 707 PSYCH 710 PSYCH 714 PSYCH 717 PSYCH 720A PSYCH 721A …”
u/Jackhofmann: “… 609 MSCI 634 MSCI 751 MSCI 760 MTE 100 MTE 140 MTE 200A MTE 200B MTE 201 MTE 202 MTE 203 MTE 204 MTE 219 MTE 220 MTE 241 MTE 262 MTE 300B MTE 322 MTE 360 MTE 380 MTE 400A MTE 420 MTE 481 MTE 544 MTE 545 MTHEL 131 MTHEL 300 MUSIC 100 MUSIC 110 MUSIC 111 MUSIC 116 MUSIC 117 MUSIC …”
Spring 2017
Best Laptop for Engineering 0 points, 9 comments
“Hello, I'm a Grade 12 student going into Mechatronics Engineering in the Fall, and I'm looking into getting a new laptop before starting University. …”
u/matty961: “… The only exceptions that I recall are ANSYS for MTE 204 and some material database thing for MTE 111, which were Windows-only and not on lab computers/remote desktop, but you should be able to use parallels/bootcamp on OSX or wine on linux just fine.”
Spring 2016
[Serious] Do you think the courses you take at UW are high quality? Why or why not? 28 points, 75 comments
“IMO lots of the classes I'm taking are okay at best. Some of them are just ugly shitshows”
u/SometimesICryAtNight: “… MTE204/Chris Kohar's course is run in such a way that it is instantly applicable (FEA and then multivariable optimization) and also actually has both theoretical and applied knowledge in good amounts. …”
Winter 2016
Mechatronics 2B Tips? School in the summer, how is it? 4 points, 13 comments
“Hey, so I'm going into 2B Mechatronics this Spring Term and since everyone fears 2B and I don't know any upper-years, I was curious if someone could give me some tips/break down of pros-cons of the …”
u/1Password: “mte204 - The projects were very time consuming, get started early. If Chris Kohar is teaching it, you're in good hands! mte203 - I found it easy to underestimate this course. …”
Fall 2015
MTE 204 Exam 1 point, 3 comments
Fall 2011
What's your most/least favourite course? 12 points, 77 comments
“Favourite: Algebra. MATH 135. Least Favourite: Linear Algebra. MATH 136. Frigging hate matrices. Tell us what your favourite/least favourite courses are and why! …”
u/straemer: “This term? Favourite: MTE 220 (Sensors and Instrumentation) Least: MTE 204 (Numerical Methods)”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them