MATH 225, Fall 2007
Introduction to Differential Equations

Course information

Course: MATH 225/0101 [catalog #4181]: Introduction to Differential Equations
Time & Place: MW 5:30pm–6:45pm, MP 103
Instructor: Dr. Rouben Rostamian
Office: MP 402
Phone: 410–455–2458
Email: rostamian@umbc.edu
Office hours: Immediately after each class, else by appointment
Course web page:  http://www.math.umbc.edu/~rouben/2007-09-math225/

Textbook

Fundamentals of Differential Equations (sixth edition) by Nagle, Saff and Snider.

We will cover good chunks of chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and possibly parts of 9, as time permits.

Course Description

The subject of this is course is an introduction to ordinary differential equations; it's pretty much a natural continuation of calculus, so if you liked calculus, you will like this course.

Calculus II (Math 152) is a prerequisite. A knowledge of Linear Algebra (Math 221) will help but it's not a prerequisite.

Weekly homework

I will put homework assignments on this web page just after each class. Solutions of problems assigned on the Monday and Wednesday of week n are due on the Wednesday of week n+1. I will have some of the problems graded and will return them to you on the following Monday.

I won't take late homework; please don't ask for exceptions. However the two lowest homework grades will be dropped to accommodate unanticipated events.

Exams and grading

Exams 1 and 2 will cover approximately the first third and second third of the course; they will be given in the regularly scheduled class time.

The Final Exam will be comprehensive—it will cover the entire course—however it will put greater emphasis on the material covered in the later parts of the course.

 The Final Exam is on Monday December 17 6:00pm–8:00pm, in MP 103 

Homework: 15%
Exam 1: 25%
Exam 2: 25%
Final Exam: 35%

Your course grade will be calculated based the weights attached to various components as shown in the adjacent table. Letter grades will be determined according to:

if { grade ≥ 85: A}
else if { grade ≥ 75: B}
else if { grade ≥ 65: C}
else if { grade ≥ 55: D}
else F

I will make and grade the exams in a fair and reasonable way, but sorry, no "curving" in this course.

Homework assignments

Homework Assignments
Aug 29 Sec. 2.2: #7, 9, 13, 17, 19, 25
Sep 3Labor Day, no class today
Sep 5 Sec. 2.3: #7, 8, 14, 15, 17
Sep 10 Sec. 2.6: #2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 15, 21, 28
Sep 12 Sec. 3.2: #5, 6, 7, 9, 18, 21
Sep 17 Sec. 3.4: #5, 13, 24, 25
Sep 19 Sec. 1.4: #5, 6, 11 (#11 optional; not required)
Sec. 3.6: #7, 8
Sep 24 Sec. 4.2: #2, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 20
Sep 26 Sec. 4.3: #1, 4, 21, 22
Oct 1 Sec. 4.4: #9, 10, 11, 13
Sec. 4.5: #17, 18, 25, 26, 27
Oct 3  Exam I 
Oct 8 Sec. 4.6: #1, 2, 5, 20
Oct 10 Sec. 4.8: #1, 16
Oct 15 Sec. 4.8: #5, 7, 10
Oct 17 Sec. 4.9: #1, 2, 7, 8, 9
Oct 22 Sec. 7.2: #2, 6, 9, 10
Oct 24 Sec. 7.3: #1, 6, 13, 14
Sec. 7.4: #7, 21, 23, 25
Oct 29 Sec. 7.5: #1, 3, 4, 15, 17, 22
Oct 31  Exam II  See note at the end of this table.
Nov 5 Sec. 7.6: #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10
Nov 7 Sec. 7.6: #19, 20, 33, 38, 39
Nov 12 Sec. 7.7: #1, 3, 5, 8, 12
Nov 14 Sec. 7.9: #1, 5, 6
Sec. 5.5: #3, 4, 5 (canceled)
Nov 19 Sec. 9.5: #3, 5, 7
Nov 21No class today!
See note at the end of the table.
Nov 26 Sec. 9.5: #11, 13, 14, 31, 34
Nov 28 Sec. 9.6: #1, 3, 13(a)
Dec 3 No additional homework assigned today
Dec 5 No additional homework assigned today
Dec 10 No class today. See me in my office for questions.

About the final exam: You may bring along a sheet of notes and formulas (you may write on both sides) to use as reference during the exam. I will supply a brief table of Laplace transform as I did in the previous test.

Notes & Comments
Fall 2007 Dates and Deadlines
Exam #1
Solutions
Grade distribution chart
Exam #2
Solutions
Grade distribution chart
Final exam
Solutions
Grade distribution chart
Overall
Cumulative grade distribution chart


 The Final Exam is on Monday December 17 6:00pm–8:00pm, in MP 103 

The Official UMBC Honors Code

By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal.

For detailed policies on academic integrity consult:

Undergraduate students:
Undergraduate Student Academic Conduct Policy
Graduate students:
Policy and Procedures for Student Academic Misconduct

 

Author: Rouben Rostamian