These notes developed from a course on the numerical solution of
conservation laws first taught at the University of Washington in the
fall of 1988 and then at ETH during the following spring. The overall
emphasis is on studying the mathematical tools that are essential in de-
veloping, analyzing, and successfully using numerical methods for
nonlinear systems of conservation laws, particularly for problems
involving shock waves. A reasonable un- derstanding of the mathematical
structure of these equations and their solutions is first required, and
Part I of these notes deals with this theory. Part II deals more
directly with numerical methods, again with the emphasis on general
tools that are of broad use. I have stressed the underlying ideas used
in various classes of methods rather than present- ing the most
sophisticated methods in great detail. My aim was to provide a
sufficient background that students could then approach the current
research literature with the necessary tools and understanding. Without
the wonders of TeX and LaTeX, these notes would never have been put
together. The professional-looking results perhaps obscure the fact that
these are indeed lecture notes. Some sections have been reworked several
times by now, but others are still preliminary. I can only hope that the
errors are. not too blatant. Moreover, the breadth and depth of coverage
was limited by the length of these courses, and some parts are rather
sketchy.