Math 246 Syllabus

BD indicates sections from the textbook (Boyce & DiPrima 9th ed.), M indicates sections from Differential Equations with Matlab.

• BD 1.1-1.3: Motivation and Classification of differential equations
• BD 2.1: Linear equations
• BD 2.2: Separable equations.
  Note: the separable ODE y'(t) = f(t) g(y) has two types of solutions: Those found by separation of variables, and constant solutions y(t) = a where a satisfies g(a) = 0.
• BD 2.3: Modeling with First Order Equations
• BD 2.4: Differences Between Linear and Nonlinear Equations
• BD 2.5: Population Dynamics and Related Problems
• M 5: Solution of Differential Equations
• M 7: A qualitative approach to differential equations
• BD 2.6: Exact Equations and Integrating Factors
• BD 8.1: Euler Method, Errors (backward Euler method is not done)
• BD 8.2, 8.3: Improved Euler, Runge-Kutta methods (three-term Taylor formula is not done)
• M 8: Numerical Methods
• BD 3.1, 3.3, 3.4: Homogeneous Linear Equations with Constant Coefficients
  (reduction of order in 3.4 is skipped)
  Summary of all cases is on p. 170
• BD 3.5: Nonhomogeneous Linear Equations; Method of Undetermined Coefficients
  Summary is on p. 180
• BD 3.6: Variation of Parameters
• M 11: 2nd Order Equations. Read only introduction, section ``Second Order Equations with Matlab''.
• BD 3.2: Fundamental Solutions and Linear Independance
• BD 3.7, 3.8: Mechanical Vibrations
• BD 6.1-6.2; M 13: Laplace Transform
• BD 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, M 14: Systems of 1st Order Linear ODEs
• BD 9.1-9.3, M 15: Nonlinear Systems and Behavior Near Critical Points