Math 2700 (FALL 2008)              DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS                DR. Brian Boe

 

Contact:        601B Boyd Graduate Studies,  542-2547, <my first name> math uga edu (insert appropriate punctuation)

 

Office Hrs:   M 12:30-1:30,  W 8:00-9:00,  F 10:00-11:00  (tentative) and by appointment or chance MWF. E-mail questions are encouraged!

                                   

Text:             Boyce and DiPrima, Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems, 8th edition.

 

Material:       Sections 1.1-1.3, 2.1-2.7, 3.1-3.9, 5.2, 6.1-6.5 (subject to change).

 

Objectives:  Some of the course objectives (besides learning the above material!) are to:

   ¥ solve differential equations analytically

   ¥ find qualitative aspects of solutions without solving explicitly

   ¥ develop mathematical models via differential equations

 

Homework:  As in calculus, you must work lots of problems in order to become adept at the many methods and techniques for solving differential equations. Homework will be assigned weekly, using the web-based WeBWorK system (see reverse). Some homework problems will also be assigned from the book and collected in class; these will be checked for completion and occasionally for correctness of your solutions. It is always advisable to work as many additional problems from the book as you have time for.

 

Policy:          The official University attendance policy states: "Students are expected to attend classes regularly. A student who incurs an excessive number of absences may be withdrawn from a class at the discretion of the professor." The Mathematics Department interprets "excessive" to mean four or more unexcused absences. The new University withdrawal policy states that an instructor must assign either a WP (signifying that the student is doing passing work) or a WF. Math Department policy: A student withdrawing after the first exam will receive a WF unless he/she has a marginally passing (D) average in the class. I do not accept late homework or give make-up exams. (But if you think you have a good reason for requesting a WeBWorK extension, ask before it is due!) Every student has agreed to follow the UGA Student Honor Code: "I will be academically honest in all of my academic work and will not tolerate academic dishonesty of others." You are also expected to be familiar with the UGA Academic Honesty Policy, "A Culture of Honesty": http://www.uga.edu/honesty/ahpd/culture_honesty.htm (see especially section 5). In particular, copying another student's work (even with minor changes), or allowing another student to copy yours, constitutes academic dishonesty.

 

Grading:       Homework                                15%

                     3 Tests                                      50%

                     Comprehensive Final Exam      35%

                                                                     100%

 

Test Dates:   Test #1           Mon. Sep. 22          (tentative--let me know

                     Test #2           Fri. Oct. 17             as soon as possible

                     Test #3           Wed. Nov. 19         if you have a conflict)

                     Final Exam:   Mon. Dec. 15, 8:00-11:00 a.m.

 

This course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.