Mathematics 267: Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms

Spring 2008, 4 credits

Instructor:

Stephen J. Willson
Office: Carver 411
Telephone: 294-7671
Email: swillson@iastate.edu
FAX: (515)-294-5454

Class meetings:

MT Th F 12:10 - 1:00 pm in Carver 190.
The first class is Monday, January 14, 2008. There are no classes on Martin Luther King Day (January 21) and Spring Break (the week of March 17 - 21).

Office hours:

Tentatively these will be MTWThF 2:10-3:00 in 411 Carver. Please also feel free to make an appointment if the office hours are inconvenient for you.

Homework:

Most homework assigned will be ungraded. Ungraded problems on the homework will usually be the basis for the beginning of the next class period. These assignments may also be found by clicking assignments

Current course grades

Current course grades and all recorded scores are available on the web by clicking grades. Scores are listed by the first 6 digits of the second part of the student identification number. If a score has been incorrectly recorded, you should contact the instructor.

Prerequisites:

Grade of C- or better in Math 166 or 166H.

Description:

Solution methods for ordinary differential equations. First order equations, linear equations, constant coefficient equations. Eigenvalue methods for systems of first order linear equations. Introduction to stability and phase plane analysis. Unlike Math 266, this course also includes Laplace transforms and series solutions to ordinary differential equations.

Textbook:

Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems, 8th edition, by W. Boyce and R. DePrima.

Sections covered:

Course Grading

Course grades will be based on the number of course points accumulated. Course points will be awarded for quizzes, hour exams, the final exam, and possibly some graded homework. While calculators may be useful, one must show all work on quizzes and exams in order to receive credit. All graded work will be announced ahead of time. There are no uniform exams. The final exam will be cumulative on the entire course.

Grades may include a plus or a minus. Grade cutoffs will be announced for each exam and quiz. The cutoff for a given level (for example A-) in the course will be the sum of the cutoffs for that level for each exam, etc.

Here is the tentative schedule for inclass exams and quizzes:

Help room:

The Mathematics Department runs a Help Room that is free to all students. The Help Room is in 385 Carver. Its hours are tentatively
MTWR 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.,
F 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The Help Room is scheduled to begin January 22.

Calculators

Students may find it useful to have a calculator for this class. Calculators should be capable of graphing functions and zooming in on the graphs. The most commonly used calculator in this course is the TI-89. The TI-83 Plus, TI-84 Plus, TI-85, TI-86, TI-89, TI-92, and TI Voyage 200 are all acceptable. You may bring your calculator to class and to quizzes and exams.
For help in using your calculator, see your manual or else use web calculator help.

Drop deadline

The last day to drop the course is Friday, March 28.

Disabilities:

Please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs. Those seeking accommodations based on disabilities should obtain a Student Academic Accommodation Request (SAAR) form from the Disability Resources (DR) office (515-294-6624). DR is located on the main floor of the Student Services Building, Room 1076.

Information about the instructor:

For more information about the instructor, click here.

Last updated January 8, 2008.