Programming and plotting graphs
If you already have your favorite way of plotting things up, you should use it to plot graphs for this course. The same goes for the programming. However, if you are uninitiated, or if you like to find a simple, robust and free alternative, python is what I would recommend. The following links explain a very quick way to install scientific python (scipy; through enthought python), where plotting, special functions, basic numerical routines (numerical integration, and Runge Kutta, e.g.) are readily available.
This page has the general introduction to how to set up scientific python. It also describes octave and matlab. To go quickly to the python section, just click on "Python" in the table of contents.
This page shows how to use pylab (part of scipy) or matlab/octave to make a plot. Examples in the box can be grabbed into your file by dragging your mouse over it and copying the text. I believe that with minimum knowledge of python you can start running the shown examples on your computer and then modify them to suit your need.
The origin of the textbook
These two links show how the two books by Kardar emerged, I think. (The first book is our main textbook.) Very useful sites!
Are you a registered user? Then, you can add stuff or edit!