[B&DiP] Elementary Differential Equations, Ninth
Edition, W. Boyce and R. DiPrima. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2009.
[DEwM] Differential Equations with MATHEMATICA,
Third Edition, B. Hunt, R. Lipsman, J. Osborn, D. Outing and J. Rosenberg, John
Wiley & Sons, New York, 2009.
A special softcover book encompassing the sections of these books that we will use in this Poolesville course is being prepared by the publisher, John Wiley and Sons. To order, go to: this Wiley site.
The main prerequisite is a one-year course in one-variable calculus offered at Poolesville High School. Since most students will have taken the Magnet Analysis version, it will be ASSUMED that the student is very familiar with the
contents of Chapters 1-10 in Calculus of a Single Variable (4th ed. or later) by Larson et al -- or the equivalent. Chapter 6 of the Larson book contains a brief introduction to ordinary differential equations. We will cover the topics in that chapter in much greater depth, as well as other classic topics in ODE not addressed in Larson.
It will be helpful -- but not essential -- to have some rudimentary knowledge of linear algebra and/or multivariable calculus. For those who don't, the few topics from those subjects needed for the course will be discussed.
There will be roughly a dozen quizzes. The highest
10 scores will count toward your quiz grade.
Quizzes will be posted on this web site on Thursday evenings after class. They will be due (electronically) within 72 hours (i.e., by Sunday evening). They will be returned (graded) on the ensuing Thursday.
The maximum possible number of points you can score in this course is
750. Your final grade will depend upon the total points you score
on the MATHEMATICA homework, the
quizzes,
three hourly exams, and the final exam, distributed as follows:
Category
Total Points
Homework (DEwM)
200
Quizzes
50
Three Hourly Exams
300
Final Exam
200
There will be no make-up exams for any of the three in-class
exams. If you miss ONE in-class exam (due to an excused absence),
then your score for that exam will be one half of your
final exam score.
In all other cases if you miss one or more in-class exams, then no final grade will be issued for the course.
Dr. Lipsman will be available for consultation each Wednesday evening from
7:00PM - 8:30PM via phone at 301-538-8381. In addition, for those students whose schedule permits, he will occasionally be available either before or after class at Poolesville High School.
Disclaimer:
This page is updated once or twice per week during the school year. It is entirely possible
that events have superseded the information contained herein. If so,
announcements will be made in class. In urgent situations, e.g., snow
cancellations, email will be sent. In any case, you may send me
email inquiries. Ron Lipsman
Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
Department of Mathematics University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742