Course info.            Schedule

Math 23 Spring 2012
Differential Equations

Differential equations relate a function to some expression involving its derivatives or partial derivatives. Any quantity that obeys rules involving its various rates of change can be modeled with these equations. These kinds of equations therefore occur throughout the sciences, engineering, economics and medicine.

Instructors and General Information

Dr. Carolyn Gordon
(12 hour)
Dr. Adrianna Gillman
(10 hour)
Office: 205 Kemeny HallOffice: 210 Kemeny Hall
Office hours: Tu 2-3:30pm, Th 12-1:30pm and by appointmentOffice hours:TuTh 2-3:30pm and by appointment
email (preferred) email (preferred)

Note that you do not need an appointment to attend regularly-scheduled office hours. If you have a conflict you may make an appointment to meet outside those times.

Textbook: Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems by Boyce and DiPrima. 9th edition.
Supplemental Textbook: Notes on Diffy Qs: Differential Equations for Engineers by Jiří Lebl.

Students with disabilitieswho will be taking this course and may need disability-related classroom accommodations are encouraged to make an appointment to see their instructor as soon as possible. Also, they should stop by the Academic Skills Center in Collis Center to register for support services.

The Honor Principle

On Exams: No assistance may be given or received except that you may ask the instructor for clarification of a problem. In particular, no calculators or computing devices may be used.

On Homework: You are permitted and encouraged to collaborate with other students on the homework. However, after discussing the problems, you should each write up the final solutions in your own words. You may use calculators and approved software. Additionally, you may consult your class notes and text. It is a violation of the honor code for someone to provide the answers for you.

Suggested software

Direction Field and Solution Plotter: Web based
Another Direction Field Plotter: Web based
Vector Field plotter: Web based

Lectures and Exams

Lectures will be held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with x-hour used when needed.

10 (Gillman) 12 (Gordon)
10:00-11:05
X-hour Th 12:00-12:50
12:30-1:35
X-hour Tu 1:00-1:50
Kemeny 105 Kemeny 007

There are two scheduled exams, one midterm, held outside of class time, and the final exam.

Midterm 1 Midterm 2Final Exam
Wednesday
April 25
4-6pm
Wednesday
May 16
4-6pm
Friday
June 1
11:30am -2:30pm
Location:
Carpenter 013
Location:
Carpenter 013
Location:
Carpenter 013

If you have a conflict with a scheduled exam contact your instructor as soon as possible.

Homework and Tutorials

Homework will be assigned from the text and will be due at the beginning of each class. The three lowest homework scores will be dropped.

Tutorials are an additional resource for you to get help with the course. Similarly to office hours, they are times set aside for you to come for assistance with material. We have one teaching assistant, Nathan McNew.

Tutorials: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday 7:00-9:00 PM
Kemeny 007

Finally, through the Academic Skills Center you may join a study group or obtain a private tutor.

Grading

For each individual student, we will compute two different weighted averages of homework and exam scores, using the weights indicated in the two columns below. The higher of the two will be used to determine the student's final grade.

Midterm 127.5%20%
Midterm 227.5%20%
Homework15%15%
Final Exam30%45%

Last modified 29 March 2012 by AG.