MA 2051Differential Equations D term 1997

Text: Paul W. Davis, Differential Equations for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering.

Professor: W. Farr, 105A Stratton, X5496, E-mail - bfarr.
Office Hours: TThF 2-3, M 3:30-4:30 or by appointment.
TA: Olga Dunaevskaya, SH 205, E-mail - dnepr.
PLAs: Jennifer Yambert (jennx), Colin Brown (chicken), Rudy Othmer (robert),
Laura Cooper (ljcooper), Mike Willock (willock), Sashe Kanapathi (skan),
Nathan Gibson (gibso)

WWW page:http://www.math.wpi.edu/Course_Materials/MA2051D97/

About this Course

The goals of this course are as follows.

• Learning to formulate mathematical models of physical situations as differential equations.
• Learning to solve differential equations, both by hand and numerically.
• Learning to interpret solutions in terms of the original model, and criticize the formulation of the model.

Differential equations are an essential part of the mathematics, science and engineering disciplines. The material in this course will be very important in your future studies. However, most of the ideas we will encounter are, or should be, familiar from calculus and one could argue that differential equations is nothing more than applied calculus. Good basic calculus skills will serve you well; be prepared for serious trouble if your calculus skills are not up to par.

Course Structure

This course meets three times a week for lectures, where the basic concepts will be introduced. There are also two conference sections per week. In these sessions you will work in small groups, aided by Pear Learning Assistants. The PLA's are there to facilitate your learning; they are not there to do the homework problems for you.

• Homework
  Homework problems, taken from the list of recommended problems, will be assigned, usually in conference. Assigned homework will be due and collected at the beginning of the next conference section. Except by prior arrangement, you must turn in your own homework and late homework will not be accepted. The PLAs will grade selected problems from the homework. Your homework grades, and your overall effort in the conference sections, will count as 16% of your final grade.
• Projects
  There will be two projects this term, each counting for 10% of your final grade. The projects will be introduced in the conference sections. You will work in groups of three on the projects and hand in a single report.
• Exams
  There will be two hour exams, each counting as 32% of your final grade. Dates for the two exams are April 9 and May 7.

  There will be a re-test scheduled for each of the exams. If you are not happy with your score on an exam, you may take the re-test, with the following restrictions: the maximum score you may receive on a re-test is 85% and your score on the re-test, if you take it, will be your exam score. That is, your score on the re-test replaces your exam score, even if you score lower on the re-test.

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