Syllabus
MA 2051 - Differential Equations
Sections A01-A06
A-Term: Fall 2018
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Sections A01-A06
A-Term: Fall 2018
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Instructor: Prof. B.S. Tilley
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Office: SH 105A
Phone: (508) 831-6664
e-mail: tilley@wpi.edu
Office Hours: M 3:00pm-4:00pm
F 9:00am-10:50am
or by appointment
Textbook: An Introduction to Differential Equations and Their Applications, by Stanley J. Farlow, Dover. ISBN: 04864495X. NOTE: Although a very readable book, it does have typos which have been catalogued at UMBC.
This is a first course in ordinary differential equations which requires the material in Calculus (MA 1021- MA 1024). The material in this course provides fundamental mathematical content for topics in science and engineering, since the mathematical models that describe many processes in these disciplines are ordinary differential equations. The objectives of this course center not only on the mathematical topics of differential equations, but also on the qualitative interpretation of the solutions to ordinary differential equations. The goal is for students to be proficient in the material covered, and at the end of the course, the student should be able to do
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you have medical information to share with me, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. My office location and office hours are listed above. If you have not already done so, students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Services Office (DSO) as soon as possible to ensure that these accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. The DSO is in Daniels Hall, (508) 831-5235.
The class meets six times per week: 4 lectures (MTRF), 1 conference session (R), and one MatLab session (T) AFTER September 1, 2018: Conferences will take place on both TR, and a video for the Matlab sessions will be posted on Canvas. Students are responsible for any and all material discussed in lecture and in conference. The Matlab session is optional for students, and these sessions do not affect the course grade.
Students are expected to spend an additional 8-10 hours per week studying outside of class: reading the text, organizing notes, and solving problems. In previous years, the average time, self-reported, spent outside of class on this class is 9 hours.
Grades are determined through WebWork, quizzes and exams. These are discussed in their separate pages.
Prior to the start of each exam or quiz, you must place all of your belongings (e.g., cell phone, study materials, etc.) in your backpack and under your desk, so that no items are visible during the exam or quiz. You will be required to show your WPI ID when turning in your exam or quiz to verify your identity. You must also sign a roster sheet on your way out of the exam, confirming that your exam was turned in.
All lectures (audio and video) are captured through course capture and can be found on the course Canvas page. NO recording of audio or video by students is allowed during lecture or during conference. Laptops, phones, and tables should be turned off during the lecture and conference sessions. If you take notes (typing only) using these devices during lecture, then you should sit in the back of the room, since screen activity is distracting to your neighbors.
NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE PERMITTED DURING QUIZZES OR EXAMS.
Final grades will be assigned as A,B,C,I or NR. In general, grades will be distributed approximately as follows:
A:
B:
C:
NR:
90-100%
80-89%
68-79%
other