Math 33A
Ordinary Differential Equations
Fall 2021
Lecture time and location
MW 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM online via Zoom
The Zoom link will be posted on Piazza (and Canvas).
Prerequisite
Math 32 with a grade of C- or better, or instructor consent
Office hours
Mondays and Wednesdays 10:15-10:45 AM and 12:15-1:00 PM (via Zoom) and by appointment. The Zoom links will be posted on Piazza.
Textbook
My lecture notes available on Piazza.
Gradescope
For quizzes and exams, we will be using Gradescope. Each quiz and exam will be a structured as a timed assignment on Gradescope. More information will be posted on Piazza (and Canvas).
Exams
Midterm 1: Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Midterm 2: Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Final: Wednesday, December 8, 2021
All the details will be announced on Piazza.
Homework
There will be weekly homework assignments, which will be posted on Piazza. You are welcome to work on the homework collaboratively with other students. Homework will not be collected, but it is absolutely essential for you to do all the assigned problems. Homework solutions will be posted on Piazza.
Quizzes
To make sure you are keeping up with the homework, every week there will be a short quiz (except on midterm weeks) consisting of one problem taken straight from the homework assignment due that week. The lowest three quiz scores will be dropped from your grade.
Grading policy
Quizzes 20%, Midterms 20% each, Final 40%.
Each of the above four grades will be curved into a number on a consistent scale. The higher midterm grade automatically replaces the lower midterm grade.
Piazza
To handle questions posed outside of class, we will be using Piazza. Piazza is a free online gathering place where students can ask, answer, and explore 24/7, under the guidance of their instructors. On the class dashboard, students can post questions and collaborate Wikipedia-style to edit responses to these questions. I as an instructor can also answer questions, endorse student answers, and edit or delete any posted content.
Instead of emailing me math questions, I encourage you to post them on Piazza.
Each student will be invited to join Piazza by email. Please join it as soon as you can. All announcements, homework assignments, solutions, etc. will be posted on Piazza, NOT this web page or Canvas.