Brief Course Description
Keller 302
The course will introduce the notion of an ordinary differential equation (ODE), define various type of such equations (e.g. second order homogeneous ODE), and cover various techniques for solving and analyzing several important types of ODEs. It will also include several important applications of ODEs.
Homework & Quizzes
The assigned homework problems are listed on the Course Work page. Quizzes will be given approximately once a weeks.
Make sure you staple your homeworks! We cannot give credit to students for work that was lost as a result of not being stapled. Also, make sure to put at the top of the front page your name, the lesson number(s) for those exercises, and the course information (Math 302, Yuriy Mileyko)
In calculating the average score for homework and quizzes, the lowest of your scores will be dropped. The purpose of this policy is to handle exceptional circumstances. It is inadvisable to skip a homework or a quiz unless absolutely necessary, since only one score will be dropped.
Working together in groups on homework is strongly encouraged! You will find that the people you are working with either (1) understand something you don't, in which case they can explain it to you; (2) understand something that you do understand, but from a different point of view -- these additional perspectives can prove to be very useful; or (3), don't understand something that you do understand -- in which case you have the opportunity to explain it to them... I think you will find that in the process of explaining something you often achieve a better understanding yourself.
Of course, it goes without saying that even though you may work in groups, the homework you turn in must be your own work. You may share ideas, perspectives, approaches to problems, but copying is not allowed. Furthermore, keep in mind that the homeworks are primarily a learning tool, and count for a fairly low percentage of your grade. Do not deprive yourself of this invaluable learning opportunity!
Note, because of the sheer numbers involved, only a specific subset of the homework assignment should be submitted and will be graded. The homework score will be entirely based on the evaluation of your answers to just those select problems.
You will notice that the textbook has answers to the homework problems. Keep in mind, however, that the points for a problem will be given based on the solution you provide and not on the final answer. Thus, it is quite possible to receive no points at all for a problem where you have a correct final answer.
Help outside of Class
You are encouraged to email me or see me during office hours if you have questions about the material or the homework. If you would like to meet but cannot make it to the office hours just send an email to set up an appointment. You can also visit the Learning Emporium for assistance or work with your fellow students.
Exams
There will be two midterm exams and a comprehensive final exam. The dates of the exams can be found on the Course Work page. The first midterm exam will include problems from all the topics covered in class by that time. The second midterm exam will include problems from the topics covered after the first midterm. The final exams may include all the topics covered in class during the semester.
Calculators, computers, phones, and pretty much any equipment besides a pen or a pencil are prohibited. Of course, no plagiarism is allowed either. I will decide on open book/notes or "chear sheet" later in the semester.
No make-up exams will be given. In the case of a legitimate absence at a midterm exam I will weigh the other midterm and the final exam more heavily to make up for the difference. A legitimate absence means that you can present proper documentation (e.g. a doctor's note) showing that you needed to attend to matters of higher significance than the exam.
Grading
Homework: 25%
Quizzes: 10%
Midterm Exams: 20% each
Final Exam: 25%
Tentatively, I will use the standard 10-point scale to determine the letter grade (A: 90 - 100%; B: 80 - 90% ; C: 65 - 80%; D: 55 - 65%) with plus or minus grades assigned appropriately. However, the final letter grade may be determined using curved grading. That is, the cutoffs for assigning letter grades may be based on the distribution of student scores.