Schedule: Differential Equations, Spring 2016

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Welcome. This is the main web page for the course. I will probably have to adjust some dates and content on this page from time to time. I will do so as early as I can, and will announce any major changes in class. If you print this page, but be sure to check back regularly for updates (and refresh your browser as needed).

How to read the tables: For example, look at Day 2 of the first table below, which is Thurs 1/14. I expect to lecture mainly on Ch 2.1 that day. I suggest that you do the seven exercises listed in 2.1 later that day. On Tues 1/19, you will give me the HW for Chs 1 and 2.1, which I'll return to you on Thurs 1/21. Then, HW 2 includes Chs 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4. The rest is similar. Most of the important due dates after HW 1 are Thursdays.

Notice that Exam I will cover Chs 1, 2 and 3 unless I have to tweak that later on. In general, my exams cover the previous 2 HWs, and about 7 previous lectures (the ones up to a week before the exam). I may update the notes below about this exam as it draws near, so check this page again then. As you can see, the course focuses on Chs 2, 4, 6 and 9, but we'll also cover Chs 1, 3 and 5 lightly (approx 1 lecture each). Don't worry too much about the abbreviations under "lecture topics", which are notes for myself. As always, contact me if you don't understand anything, or if you see a mistake.

Through Exam I

In the first four weeks, leading up to Exam I, read Chs 1, 2 and 3, emphasizing Ch 2. Do HW 1 and 2 and look over the other exercises. Look over this website, including your syllabus and my policies. You can find helpful materials such as True-False practice and old exams on my exam page. If people ask, I may also create a "help page" for HW hints, etc, but this has not seemed necessary in my past DE courses. Meet your Learning Assistant (LA), Samantha. Her hours are TR 9-11 AM, and F 10am-12pm in DM 409A (updated on 1/15/16) to answer questions or walk you through any especially difficult topics. If the room is taken, she will be at the table just outside, or possibly on the nearby terrace. Let me know of any problems finding her, or see the syllabus for her email address. If you meet with her actively and regularly I may give you a little extra credit (EC) for that. You can also see me during office hours on TR afternoons.

Here is a page of optional notes you can study at any time. These are topics mostly from Calc II that have caused trouble in the past.

Here is the solution to HW 2.4 17, which seems harder than most. After posting this, I noticed that I also answered this, slightly differently, on the Exam I Key from 2013.

Exam 1 will cover everything we've done through Ch 3.2B (page 85). Most of it should resemble problems from HW 1 and 2, but also try the unassigned problems, the Review (pg 69) and the HW3 ones in Ch.3.1 and 3.2. It will cover my lectures through 1/28 (not including any remarks about early Ch.4). Pay attention to the EU thm and to the domains of solutions. If the HW is not enough for those topics, you can get more practice with some of the problems here. Do not dismiss any problem types for being too long - I may ask you to perform just one step, to show you know the main idea. Note that I may test you again on Ch 3 on Exam II - any Ch 3 problems on Exam I should be fairly easy, mainly to check that you are keeping up.

Samantha may offer a review session for Exam I if you ask her. You can also ask her to go over exams afterwards, if you like. I do not usually hold review sessions during class time unless we are ahead of schedule.

Day Date I give you You give me Lecture topics HW
1 T 1/12 Web site,
Syllabus
  Review+ Preview,
Ch. 1.
1.1 all odds
1.2 all odds
1.3 all odds
2 R 1/14     2.1 Exact DEs 1, 5, 7, 11, 17, 21, 22
3 T 1/19   HW1 (thru 2.1) 2.2 Separable DEs 1, 5, 10, 15, 16, 25
4 R 1/21 Return HW1   2.3 L+Bernoulli Es 1, 3, 7, 20, 23, 27
5 T 1/26     2.4 More I.Factors 1, 5, 7, 11, 17
6 R 1/28   HW2 (thru 2.4) 3 Applications 3.1 - 1, 3, 5
3.2 - 1, 3, 5
7 T 2/2 Return HW2   4.1"AB" Theorems p122 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13
8 R 2/4 Exam I   [thru Ch 3]  

 

Through Exam II

There is [or will be by approx 2/8] an answer key to Exam I on the exam page, which also includes the grading scale. If I do not put a letter grade on your exam, use that. You can probably ignore the scale on the syllabus, which is intended as a "highest possible scale".

Note that HW 3 only goes thru 4.1B (pg 122). Sections 4.1C and D (pg 132) and 4.2 will be part of HW 4. Exam II will go from Ch. 3.1 through Ch. 5.3, with emphasis on problems like HW 3 and 4. Yes, there is some overlap of exams (Ch 3 in this case). The review problems on pages 186-187 are recommended. It may include topics from my 2/25 lecture. It will probably include a proof done in class from Ch. 4.6. The most likely ones are Thms 4.16, 4.18 (Part 1 OR Part 2),  and 4.20. Not thm 4.19. I may let you choose a proof from a list, but you should walk in ready to prove at least 3 out the 4 thms mentioned above. This should not be hard, but most students in my Fall 2015 class did not study these properly. Check this web page again approx 3/1 for any updated advice about the exam.

Here is a recent article about Bernoulli ("The Meanest Man in Math").

I do not highly recommend extra credit projects in this class, but if interested see me, or maybe my Policy page. Any extra credit projects based on Chs 1-6 of the text are due on 4/5. Discuss any other projects with me asap and get them approved by 4/5. Unless I give you a special deadline for those, in writing, it will be 4/14.

 

Day Date I give you You give me Lecture topics HW
9 T 2/9     4.1"CD"- Reduction p132 - 1, 5, 10
10 R 2/11   HW3 thru 4.1AB 4.2- Homog w CC 1,2,9,11,13,27,37
11 T 2/16 HW3 back   4.3- Undet'd Coeffs
4.4 Vary Params
3,4,7,12,15,35,51
1, 3, 5, 6, 9,19
12 R 2/18     4.5 C-E Eqn 1, 3, 5, 25
13 T 2/23     4.6 Thms 1, 2, 3
14 R 2/25   HW4 thru 4.6 Ch. 5.1, 2, 3. Springs 5.2 - 1, 2, 10a
5.3 - 1, 3
15 T 3/1 HW4 back   More Ch 5.3 or review  
16 R 3/3 Exam II   [approx = Ch 4 and 5]  

 

Thru Exam III

Here is some advice on studying Ch 6. If you have already read it and done the Ch 6.2 HW, you probably do not need this. Many students fall down in Ch 6. I suggest a thorough review of series from Calculus II, and especially manipulating series into different forms beforehand. There is some advice on this on the practice page I gave you before the term started (there is a link on the syllabus if not here).

Exam III covers Chs 5.1-3, Ch. 6, and Ch. 9.1, with emphasis on problems like those in HW 5 and 6. For Ch 6, you don't have to know the formulas for all the Bessel functions, but should know - 

The drop date is 3/21 (but please check this). If you need an estimate of your grade, or advice, see me. In general, if the info on the Exam 2 key says you have a D or lower, then you are very unlikely to finish with a C or higher. Most students in that situation will drop.

If interested, here is a corrected calculation from an old lecture, but this is completely optional.

Day Date I give you You give me Lecture topics HW
17 T 3/8 E2 grade   6.1 Series solns 1, 2, 7, 15, 21
18 R 3/10   HW5 thru 6.1 6.2 Singular pts 2, 3, 5, 7, 15, 16, 25, 27
    Spring Break Mar 14-18  
19 T 3/22 H5 grade   More 6.2  
20 R 3/24     6.3 Bessel's Eqn 1, 2, 3, 4
21 T 3/29     More 6.3  
22 R 3/31   HW6 thru 6.3 9.1A Laplace Trans 1, 3, 5 
23 T 4/5 H6 grade Most EC due 9.1B, or review 1, 3, 5, 7, 13, 15
24 R 4/7 Exam 3   [thru Ch 9.1A]  

 

To the End

Do not plan to start any extra credit projects after Exam III. No late HW 7's accepted after 4/21, All doctor's notes, HW review requests, etc are due on 4/21, If you want a review session for the final with Samantha, try to arrange that by 4/21. If you opted out of the HW or made any other special deals, remind me now, preferably by email.

The final counts 30 points - about half will be on recent material (like an "Exam 4") and about half will be review. It cannot be dropped; see the policy page about this, about incompletes, etc. Here is a review page for the final (it is from 2015 but should still be relevant). See also the exam page. The HW in 9.4 to 9.5 is not to be handed in, but should help prepare you for the final exam.

Day Date I give you You give me Lecture topics HW
25 T 4/12 Graded E3   9.2A Inverse Tr
9.2B Convolution
1, 3, 5, 7, 11, 15, 29
1, 2, 3
26 R 4/14     9.3 LT and DEs 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10
27 T 4/19   HW7 thru 9.3 9.4A Steps 1, 3, 7, 11, 15
28 R 4/21   Conclude all
business.
9.4B Expon'ls
9.4C More DE's
1, 3, 5, 7, 9
1, 3, 5, 7, 9
29 T 4/26 H7 grade   9.4D Dirac Func 1, 3, 5
30 R 4/28     9.5 Systems, or review 1, 2, 3, 5

Final Exam : Thurs 5/5/16, 12 PM to 2 PM.

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