Course Policies and Guidelines

Course Goals and Topics

• To understand the what differential equations are, both analytically and geometrically.
• To master basic analysis and solution techniques---algebraic, numerical, and qualitative---for commonly encountered types of ODE's.
• Gain some proficiency in using ODE's (and associated material like delta functions) to model physical phenomena.
• Gain and understanding of how the Laplace transform can be used to solve ODE's.

Intellectual Honesty

• Exams: For in-class exams your work must be your own, of course, using only the authorized resources stated on the exam cover page. For any take-home exams you must also work individually, and ask for help or clarification only from me! As with in-class exams, use only the resources that are authorized on the exam cover page.
• Homework: You are expected/encouraged to collaborate with other students, but when the time comes to write up the homework solutions you should be able to do this on your own with complete understanding.
• If you did cooperate significantly with one or more other students please indicate this on the front page of the homework set, problem by problem if necessary, e.g., "I worked with "student A" on problems 3 and 5", "student B" on problem 14".
• Do not share "canned" computer files for solving the homework, e.g., if "student A" writes an elaborate Maple worksheet that solves a given homework problem, he/she should not give it to others so they can blindly push buttons and get answers! (I try not assign such problems).
• If you can't solve a given problem, just say so. It's OK.
• If you're not sure about whether what you're doing for the course is in accordance with the above, ask me!

Course Work Guidelines

• Homework should be written up neatly---even TeXed if you know how---and all pages stapled.
• Make sure it's clear what your answer is, box or highlight it when appropriate.
• If you know you're going to be gone on a given day, let me know AHEAD of time. If there's a quiz that day you can make it up ahead of time, not after (in that case, it becomes the one quiz I'll spot you.)