Lesson 0: A Very Brief Introduction to ODEs
Preview
This short lesson is intended to be a brief tour of the core of this course: ordinary differential equations.
In Module I we will discuss the driving question of this course and how it relates to important real-world phenomena.
In Module II we will briefly tour foundational terminology and concepts we will need to start the course, in addition to discussing how linear algebra will later enter the course.
Learn
Work through the lesson notes below. Some tips for you as you work through these notes:
I recommend using Cornell Notes (or a modification of it; see this video starting at the 1:05 mark) to take notes on the lesson. This note-taking method balances detail with big-picture thinking to help you summarize and retain what you are learning. See this other video for additional note-taking techniques you might want to experiment with.
Lesson Notes
Lesson 0.pdfReflect
If you are currently enrolled in this course with me, submit the written reflections Google Form I have emailed you after working through the lesson notes and videos. Some tips:
Submit substantive, but concise, answers to each question; you will be doing the future you a big favor by taking time now to accurately and succinctly summarize what you have learned from the lesson.
Send yourself a copy of your reflections; they will come in handy later when you start preparing for quizzes and other assessments.
If you are not currently enrolled in this course with me, those written reflections ask three reflective questions designed to help you retain what you've learned and pinpoint any remaining areas of confusion. Those questions are:
Please summarize the main mathematical takeaways from the lesson notes.
What was the most interesting part of what you learned, and why?
What, if anything, do you still find confusing?