Instructor Course Section Time Room
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Eric Olson 1005 Math 285 DIFFEREN EQUATIONS MW 4-5:15am OB102
We are now meeting at the same times through Zoom on the
UNR
WebCampus. Don't forget to continue checking this page as well.
Course Information
Instructor:
Eric Olson
email:
ejolson at unr edu
Please correspond using
WebCampus
if possible, if not then put the number 285 in the subject line.
Office:
Tuesday at 1pm through Zoom and by appointment. For the Zoom
meeting number please check the schedule on
WebCampus.
Homepage:
http://fractal.math.unr.edu/~ejolson/285/
Required Texts:
Dennis Zill,
A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications,
10th or 11th Edition, Brooks Cole, 2012 or 2017.
Student Learning Outcomes
We will cover selected sections in Chapters 1 through 5, 7 and 8
of the textbook.
Upon completing this course, a student shall be able to
Use qualitative methods to assess the behavior of solutions without solving an equation.
Demonstrate understanding of some of different techniques for solving first and higher order homogeneous and non-homogeneous equations: e.g. the integrating factor method, separable variables, the Laplace transform.
Solve systems of differential equations with constant coefficients.
Lecture Notes
Here are lecture notes from the distance learning classes
to help people catch up who may have experienced technical
difficulties during the lecture.
Please note that attendence is being taken at the online lectures.
This is to ensure everyone is included and continues to receive as
much support as possible.
If you miss a lecture, it is just as important as before to let me know
the reason and to catch up the missed material.
In addition to the usual university approved reasons for missing a class,
it may happen that the technology doesn't work--either at your end or
at mine (or both). In such cases, don't panic, technical difficulties
will be considered a valid excuse for missing class. Even so, it is
important to resolve such difficulties quickly to avoid future problems.
Announcements
[07-May-2020] Thank You
[11-May-2020] Final Exam
The final exam will be held on
Monday, May 11 from 2:30 to 4:30pm on Zoom please see the
meeting link in
WebCampus.
[29-Apr-2020] Exam 3
Exam 3 will be given April 29 and cover Laplace transforms.
There is now a sample exam available on WebAssign.
[27-Apr-2020] Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues
In class we solved the eigenvalue eigenvector problem using a computer
algebra system called Mathematica and also with Matlab. For
your reference, here are screen captures of that work.
[22-Apr-2020] Delta Function Video
I found a
recitation
about step and delta functions
which is part of the MIT OpenCourseWare for
18.03SC Differential Equations Fall 2011.
Hopefully this will help to build additional intuition about what
we discussed today in class.
[08-Apr-2020] Laplace Transform Table
I have scanned the table of Laplace transforms
because I had difficulty reading the one in the online textbook.
[06-Apr-2020] Quiz 2
Quiz 2 has been postponed until April 6 in order to give people
enough time to adapt to the technology used for distance learning.
Sample exams and a description of how the test will be administered
online are forthcoming.
[24-Mar-2020] Lecture Notes
I have posted lecture notes to summarize
what we covered on Monday. While there were
some obvious technical difficulties during our first Zoom lecture,
I have now connected my computer directly to the cable modem and
will be making other changes as needed so things run smoothly.
Please check the disucssion forums on
WebCampus
for more details.
[23-Mar-2020] Switch to Online Learning
As described at the UNR
webpage on the novel coronavirus
The University will begin online delivery of all for-credit academic
courses Monday, March 23, the week following Spring Break.
The University is directing all students to remain home, not return to
campus, and continue their courses online following the completion of
Spring Break on March 22.
The recommended software for distance learning will be provided by
Zoom Video Communications and accessible by means of a link on our
course page at UNR
WebCampus. Please check the canvas page for the Meeting ID and
Join URL under the Zoom tab.
We will video conference the scheduled class time at 4:00pm on Monday
and Wednesday. You may need to register for a Zoom account before
then and install the conferencing software on a suitable computer or
mobile phone. Please let me know if you have difficulty installing
the software or finding the Join URL ahead of time so we can fix the
technology before the first class meeting. Given the unique nature
of these arrangements, video attendance will be mandatory.
[19-Feb-2020] Quiz 1
In class on Wednesday February 19 we will have our first quiz covering
Chapter 2.1 through 2.5. Note that Chapter 2.6 is omitted. I have
created two sample tests to help you study.
Here is another sample sample exam to
help you study for Quiz 1. I will be posting answer keys for
both sample tests over the weekend. Please check back so you
can see my work before taking the exam in class on Wednesday.
[08-Feb-2020] Sample Quiz 1 Version 1
I have created a sample exam to help you study
for Quiz 1. Please look it over. If you have questions please ask in
class on either Monday February 10 or Wednesday February 12.
[22-Jan-2020] First Lecture
The first lecture introduced the idea of a differential equation and
proceed to solve the linear differential equations of the form
y' + P(x) y = f(x)
as covered in Section 2.3 of the textbook.
Homework
All homework is to be completed on Webassign. You are responsible for
keeping track of all assignments and their due dates. Solving homework
problems will help you to understand the key concept and to master
the skills you will need to succeed in this course. You should try to
work on the problems assigned for a section as soon as the material is
covered. You may discuss problems with other students, but all submitted
work should be your own.
Go to
www.webassign.net and use the code
unr 6887 9573
You will be asked to set up a Webassign account
if you do not already have one. Please use exactly the same name
and email you use to register for courses at UNR.
Grading
Quiz 1 20 points each
Quiz 2 40
Exam 1 60 points
Final Exam 100 points
Homework Assignments 40 points
------------------------------------------
260 points total
Exams and quizzes will be interpreted according to the following
grading scale:
Grade Minimum Percentage
A 90 %
B 80 %
C 70 %
D 60 %
The instructor reserves the right to give +/- grades and higher grades
than shown on the scale if he believes they are warranted.
Final Exam
The final exam will be held on
Monday, May 11 from 2:30 to 4:30pm on Zoom please see the
meeting link in
WebCampus.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The Mathematics Department is committed to equal opportunity in
education for all students, including those with documented physical
disabilities or documented learning disabilities. University policy
states that it is the responsibility of students with documented
disabilities to contact instructors during the first week of each
semester to discuss appropriate accommodations to ensure equity in
grading, classroom experiences and outside assignments.
Academic Conduct
Bring your student identification to all exams. Work independently on
all exams and quizzes. Behaviors inappropriate to test taking may
disturb other students and will be considered cheating. Don't talk or
pass notes with other students during an exam. Don't read notes or books
while taking exams given in the classroom.
Homework may be
discussed freely. If you are unclear as to what constitutes cheating,
please consult with me.
The following is new university policy: Surreptitious or covert
video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is
prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may
be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of
the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities,
some students may be given permission to record class lectures and
discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments
during class may be recorded.
