Math 2584, Spring 2018

Important dates

Useful documents and links

• Professor Barton's notes on inverse functions, trigonometry, and exponentials (PDF file)
• Some direction field and phase plane plotters:
  • http://math.rice.edu/~dfield/dfpp.html. This is a particularly nice direction field plotter because you can click on a particular initial point and it will show you the solution; however, it does require you to download a file rather than running in a browser.
  • Professor Barton's direction field plotter
  • Professor Barton's phase plane plotter
  • http://www.directionfield.com/. A very simple direction field plotter; this one will work on the iPad. Beware: this one is very finicky about its input. (For example, you must type "3*x" and not "3x", and "pow(x,2)" and not "x^2".)
  • http://www.mathscoop.com/calculus/differential-equations/slope-field-generator.php Another direction field plotter that works on the iPad; this one is less finicky but has a number of annoying advertisements on the web page.

Course Information

Course Description: First and second order ordinary differential equations, the Laplace transform, and matrix systems of ordinary differential equations.

Prerequisites: MATH 2564 or 2564C with a grade of C or better. Knowledge of the mathematical concepts learned in Calculus I and II, especially differentiation and integration techniques as applied to polynomial, exponential, and trigonometric functions.

Text: Differential Equations with Boundary-Value Problems, 9th Edition, by Dennis G. Zill.

Drill Sessions: Attendance in your drill section is required, and you must attend the section in which you are enrolled. Drill sessions are led by the course assistant and meet once every week, including the first week.

Course grade: Here is how I plan to weigh your grades:

Cell phones: Cell phones, tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices may be used in class. The expectation is that these devices will be used for taking notes, routine calculations (i.e., calculator apps), accessing course materials, and other course-related uses only. Please do not text or play games in class!

Tests: There will be three midterms tests and a final exam. I plan to hold midterm exams during class time on the dates indicated in the calendar above. The final exam will occur in our regular classroom at the time indicated on the registrar's website.

If you require accommodations on an exam, notify your instructor as soon as possible, but in all cases at least one week before the exam is to be held. Documentation from the CEA may be required, depending on the nature of the accommodation.

Make-up exams: Make-up exam requests also require written documentation as to your conflict. Except in the case of medical or other unforeseen emergencies, make-up exam requests must be made at least one week before the exam is to be held. Make-up exams are at the instructor's discretion; if you do not provide a documented reason why you cannot take the exam at the usual time, if your reason is considered inadequate, or if your request for a make-up exam is not made in a timely fashion, I reserve the right to refuse a make-up exam or to assess a late penalty (deduction from your score).

Make-up exams will be taken in the Mathematics Testing Center maintained by the MRTC. You will be allowed to take your exam on the scheduled exam date at any time when the Testing Center is open. You must finish your exam before the Testing Center closes; it is your responsibility to arrive early enough to allow this to happen.

Homework: Assignments will be posted to this website. Each week you will be assigned a number of self-checked problems and a smaller number of graded problems. You may ask anyone for help with your homework, but you must write up your solutions on your own.

Graded problems should be turned in for grading during class on the due date. We expect you to turn in your homework in class.

If you cannot make it to class on the day homework is due, you may:

• Give your homework to a classmate and have them turn it in on the due date.
• Turn in the completed homework during office hours or during an earlier class before it is due.
• Slide the completed homework under the instructor's door (SCEN 222) before the due date or before class on the due date.

• Ask for and receive permission to do so in advance, and explain why you cannot turn in a hard copy one or two days early.
• Send a document that will be legible after printing with a black-and-white printer. Generally, this will mean doing your homework on white or lined white paper and finding a real scanner; a photograph taken with your phone is almost never acceptable, and homework done on tan or yellow paper is probably not acceptable either.
• Submit homework before class on the due date.

Self-checked problems will not be graded and need not be turned in. You will be able to check your answers by looking at the answers given in the back of the book. It is important that you do these problems; you will learn the material much better if you practice it by doing all problems, and material covered only on self-checked problems and not on instructor-corrected problems will still appear on the midterm tests and final exam.

I expect to have 11 assignments over the course of the semester; your lowest score (or two scores) will be dropped.

Incompletes: Only given in extreme circumstances, and only when the student has satisfactorily completed all but a small portion of the work in the course. Students must make prior arrangements with the professor well before the end of the semester.

Academic Integrity: All students will be bound by and should familiarize themselves with the university's academic integrity policy.