Back-of-the-spreadsheet calculations: a tool for active learning and design

This paper presents two different approaches that have been used to teach junior-year Mechanical Engineering students numerical analysis in a heat transfer course. Over a period of seven years, both MATLAB and Microsoft Excel were used. Examples of problems solved using both MATLAB and Excel are presented. Student reaction to both software packages is discussed. The spreadsheet-based application described in the paper is shown to be an effective tool for students to use during design-build exercises, enabling them to perform quick and lowcost “back-of-the-spreadsheet calculations.”