Math 331- Spring 2005
Differential Equations for Scientists and Engineers
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Instructor: Alain Bourget Office: LGRT 1432 Phone: 545-4254
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
E-mail: bourget@math.umass.edu or abourget@amherst.edu
Teaching assistant: Mike Diehl
Office hours: Tuesday-Thursday
Office: LGRT 1323H
Course Webpage: http://www.math.umass.edu/~bourget
Text: Elementary Differential Equations, 8e. Boyce and Di Prima
Course Material
The course will basically cover most of chapters 1, 2, 3 and parts of chapters 4, 6, 7 and 8 of the text. These include the topics:
A complete schedule of the sections covered each week is also posted on the course webpage under the link SCHEDULE. This schedule might be frequently updated during the semester; it is your responsibility to check it on a regular basis.
Calculators
You are allowed to use a Texas Instruments TI-85 or TI-86 graphics,
programmable calculators for the assignments and exams
Homework
Homework assignments will be due in class on Mondays. No late assignment will be accepted for any reason. There will be a total of 14 assignments, however only the best 12 will count for your final grade. The questions of each assignment are posted on the SCHEDULE. Working in groups can be a great way to learn, and I encourage it, so long as it does not degenerate into copying. The number of questions on each assignment is a minimum and not a maximum; it is strongly recommended that you try to solve more problems than it is asked.
Exams
There will be three in-class midterms and a final (cumulative) exam. The only acceptable reason for missing an exam is an illness or family emergency. Both situations will require a note from your dean or physician. Make-up exams will not be given for any other reason.
Exams Dates
|
|
Date |
Sections |
Location |
|
Midterm 1 |
Friday, Feb 18 |
1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 |
In class |
|
Midterm 2 |
Wed, March 30 |
3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 |
In class |
|
Midterm 3 |
Friday, April 22 |
6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6 |
In class |
|
Final |
TBA |
All previous sections and 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.8, 8.1 |
TBA |
Grading
The following grading scheme will be applied:
|
|
|
|
Homework |
10% |
|
Midterm 1 |
20% |
|
Midterm 2 |
20% |
|
Midterm 3 |
20% |
|
Final |
40% |
|
Total |
110% |
The item above that most hurts your grade will have its weight diminished by 10% of the course grade, to give a total of 100%. This means that if your homework pulls your grade down, it will not be counted, if a midterm score pulls your grade down, it will be given half the usual weight, and if your final pulls your grade down, it will count for 30% instead of 40% of your final grade