CLASS Connections Template

Engineering Differential Equations
92.236 section 203
Fall 2009

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GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION:

Meeting times/locations: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 11:30 - 12:20. Monday, Wednesday, Friday location TBA; Thursday in Southwick 317.

Prerequisites: Calculus I and II (92.131 and 92.132)

Class attendance is not required but is strongly recommended. You are responsible for all information (course material, assignments, changes in exam dates, etc.) presented in class, whether you attend or not.

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR:

Stephen Pennell

Email: stephen_pennell@uml.edu

Phone: (978) 934-2710
I will leave a message on my voice mail if the university is open but I am unable to attend class for any reason (e.g. bad weather). To check whether the university has been closed because of weather, call (978) 934-2121.

Fax: (978) 934-3053

Office: Olney 428V

Office Hours: TBA. Meetings at times other than my office hours can be arranged by appointment. See me after class, call me on the phone, or send me an email message.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Many physical systems can be described mathematically by one or more differential equations. Examples include mechanical oscillators, electrical circuits, and chemical reactions, to name just three. In this course you will learn what a differential equation is, and you will learn techniques for solving some common types of equations. You will also learn techniques for obtaining information about the solutions of equations which cannot be solved analytically. Finally, you will learn how differential equations can be used to describe physical phenomena, and you will use your knowledge of differential equations to analyze these phenomena. These skills will be useful to you in your other science and engineering courses and in your career.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

My goals for this course are for you to

develop a qualitative understanding of the nature of differential equations, their solutions, and their applications;
learn qualitative techniques for obtaining information about solutions to differential equations;
learn analytical techniques for solving commonly occurring differential equations;
learn numerical methods for finding approximate solutions to differential equations that cannot be solved analytically;
apply your knowledge of differential equations to problems in engineering; and
develop an understanding of the mathematical modeling process.

I would appreciate hearing your goals for the course.

TEXT:

Edwards & Penney, Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems: Computing and Modeling , 4th ed, Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2007.

GRADING POLICY:

Course grades

Course grades will be based on homework, 3 exams, a project, and a comprehensive final exam. Your pre-final average is based on the homework, 3 exams, and project. The lowest of these 5 scores counts for 8% of your pre-final average, and the other 4 scores each count for 23% of your pre-final average. Your course average is based on your pre-final average and your final exam score. If your grade on the final exam is greater than or equal to your pre-final average, then your pre-final average and your final exam score each count for 50% of your course average. If your grade on the final exam is less than your pre-final average, then your pre-final average counts for 80% of your course average and your final exam score counts for 20% of your course average.

Your letter grade for the course will be determined from your course average according to the following table:

Average [93, 100) [90, 93) [87, 90) [83, 87) [80, 83) [77, 80)

Grade A A- B+ B B- C+

Average [73, 77) [70, 73) [67, 70) [60, 67) [0, 60)

Grade C C- D+ D F

Tentative exam due dates: Wednesday, September 23; Wednesday, October 21; Wednesday, November 18.

Tentative project due date: Friday, October 9. Optional revision due Friday, November 13.

Exam Policy

It is important that everyone take the same exams under the same conditions for maximum fairness and reliability of testing. I therefore do not give makeup exams unless you have a valid reason (for example, illness or religious holiday) for missing the scheduled exam, and I do not allow extra time on exams unless you have a note from Disability Services. If you have to miss a scheduled exam, please let me know ahead of time if at all possible. I am much more likely to be sympathetic if you call me the morning of the exam and say “I have the flu and can’t take the exam” than if you come in two days after the exam and say “I missed the exam. When can I take a makeup?”

Cell phone use is not permitted during exams. Sharing calculators or formula sheets is not permitted during exams.

Tips on Preparing for Exams

Start studying for an exam at least one week ahead of time. Focus your studying on the items given on the list of specific objectives for each section.

Begin by reviewing the homework problems for the sections that will be covered on the exam. Make sure you know how to solve each problem without looking at the solution manual. If you cannot solve a particular problem, make a note of the problem number and move on to the next problem.

Ask me or someone else for help on any homework problem that gave you trouble, then try to solve a similar problem from the textbook.

Two days before the exam, try taking the practice exam. Take the practice exam under actual exam conditions: use only your calculator and the integral tables, do not look at the answers, and give yourself only 50 minutes.

Ask me or someone else for help on any practice exam problem that gave you trouble, then try to solve a similar problem from the textbook.

Get a good night’s sleep the night before the exam. You will perform better if you are fresh and able to think clearly.

Tips on Taking Exams

Read every question on the exam before you start working. This will give you a feel for how long the exam is and how you should pace yourself. It will also give your subconscious mind a chance to start working on the questions.

If you are not sure what a question means, please ask me. I am trying to see how well you know the material, not to trick you with ambiguous wording.

Look at the point value of each question. Obviously, it is more important to do well on the questions that count the most than the ones that count the least.

It is generally best to do the easiest problem first, then the next easiest, and so on. You do not have to do the problems in the order they appear on the exam.

If you get stuck on one question, move on to the next. Come back later to the question that is giving you trouble.

Be aware of how much time you have left. Do not spend too much time on a single question. It is generally better to get partial credit on every question than full credit on a single question.

Homework

In order for you to understand the material in this course, it is extremely important that you do the assigned homework problems. Working with your classmates can be a great help, and I strongly encourage it. I also urge you to ask questions about any problems that give you trouble.

Homework problems are due the second class day after we finish covering the material. Late homework will be accepted without penalty up to one week after the due date; late homework will not be accepted more than one week after the due date for any reason. Your grade on a homework assignment will be based on the percentage of the assigned problems you turn in and on the correctness of your solutions to one randomly selected problem. Your lowest three homework scores will be dropped. The last three homework assignments are optional; they will be averaged into your homework grade only if they pull up your average.

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In Association with: CLASS Connections

Average	[93, 100)	[90, 93)	[87, 90)	[83, 87)	[80, 83)	[77, 80)
Grade	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+

Average	[73, 77)	[70, 73)	[67, 70)	[60, 67)	[0, 60)
Grade	C	C-	D+	D	F