MTH 340
Ordinary Differential
Equations
Section 001

Gabriel Nagy
Visiting Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics
Michigan State University
C-129 Wells Hall
gnagy@math.msu.edu

Syllabus
Schedule

Teaching
Main page

Fall 2013 Syllabus

Lecture: Mon, Wed, Fri, 12:40 - 1:30 pm in A-128 Wells Hall.
Instructor Office Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri, 2:30 - 3:30 pm in C-129 WH.

Textbook: Lecture Notes,   Lecture Slides, (Updated daily.)

Instructional Objectives:

This course is an introduction to ordinary differential equations. We describe a collection of methods and techniques used to find solutions to several types of differential equations, including first order scalar equations, second order linear equations, and systems of linear equations. We introduce Laplace transform methods to solve constant coefficients equations with generalized source functions. We also provide a brief introduction to boundary value problems, Sturm-Liouville problems, and Fourier Series. Near the end of the course we combine previous ideas to solve an initial boundary value problem for a particular partial differential equation, the heat propagation equation.

Further References:

Final Exam: Monday, December 9, 12:45-2:45pm.

All students are required to take the Final Exam. The university has strict requirements for exceptions. (See the third paragraph.)

Exams:

There will be four 50-minutes exams. See the schedule for the dates. The exams will be in the recitation labs. No notes, no books, no calculators, no phones, no personal computers will be allowed in the exams. Students are expected to take all exams. The exam dates are:

Quizzes:

There will be 10 short quizzes, in weeks 2-15 without exams. No notes, no books, no calculators, no phones, no tablets, no computers will be allowed in the exams. The lowest quiz score will be dropped, and the average of the remaining quizzes will count as 5% of the total grade. See details below, in Course Grading.

WeBWorK Log-in and Fees:

Graded homework will be handled electronically through a WeBWorK server in the Mathematics Department and follows the instructions in that page.

In the link above students can find WeBWorK course location, change password, learn about fees, plus find a form to fill out for tech support. Students should change their password the first time they log in WeBWorK.

WeBWorK Homework:

  • Completing the assigned homework is vital to your understanding of the subject material. You should make every effort to complete the homework assignments and seek help with problems you have not been able to solve.
  • WeBWork problems are similar to the problems in the class textbook. It is important that students do the first WeBWork assignment, Learning WeBWorK Tutorial, where the students learn how to enter answers, handle mathematical symbols, simplify complicated expressions in WeBWorK. This assignment counts toward your total WeBWorK grade.
  • Check the Schedule for tentative WebWorK assignment due dates; note however that the most up-to-date due date will always be given on the assignment itself on the WeBWorK server. Prior to the due date students can try multiple times to solve each WeBWorK problem, getting immediate feedback as to whether the answer is correct or incorrect. See each homework set for the maximum number of attempts allowed. Note that clicking on the <Submit Answers> button at the bottom of a problem counts as an attempt, so make sure you first click on the <Preview Answers> button to check whether you have entered your answer in the way that you intended. Answers to WeBWorK assignments are available shortly after the due dates.
  • There is a three-day reduced credit period for most WeBWorK assignments. If you get a part of a problem correct before the beginning of the reduced credit period, you will receive 100% of the partial credit allowed for that part of the problem. Otherwise, getting that same part of the problem correct in the reduced credit period will only earn you 75% of the partial credit allowed for that part of the problem. Note that once you have earned partial or full credit for a problem you will never lose that credit, even if you accidentally change an answer which has already been marked correct to an incorrect answer at a later time.
  • Homework sets due before Midterm Exams may not have a reduced credit period.

WeBWorK Grade:

Average of all WeBWorK assignment grades, then rescale it to 100. This is your WeBWorK grade.

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend all class meetings and are responsible for all of the material covered in class. Any changes in this syllabus or in the scheduling of exams, WeBWorK, etc. will be announced during class meetings.

Course Grading:

Your course grade will be based on the maximum score of the following two decompositions:

    • 10% Quizzes (lowest dropped)
    • 15% Webwork Grade
    • 15% Exam 1
    • 15% Exam 2
    • 15% Exam 3
    • 30% Final Exam
    • 10% Quizzes (lowest dropped)
    • 15% Webwork Grade
    • 30% Best 2 of 3 Exams (15% each)
    • 45% Final Exam

In addition, you must take the final examination in order to pass the course. Since there are no makeup exams, if you miss an exam for any reason, your grade will be based on option 2.

Final grades will be assigned based on the following scale.

4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.0
[100, 90] (90, 85] (85, 80] (80, 75] (75, 70] (70, 65] (65, 60] Below 60

(Brakets [ , ] means inclusive, round brackets ( , ) means not-inclusive.)

This scale may be curved to be more lenient, depending on the final grade distribution. However, such a curve is at the sole discretion of the instructor.

Academic Dishonesty:

Academic dishonesty is considered a serious offense atMSU. Students caught cheating may face failure in the course and an administrative sanction which may include suspension or expulsion from the university. See the MSU Academic Integrity Policies.

Important Dates:

  • 08/28/2013: Class begins.
  • 09/02/2013: Labor day. No class. University closed.
  • 09/04/2013: Open add period ends at 8:00pm.
  • 09/11/2013: Last day to late add a course or to drop to a lower level course.
  • 09/23/2013: Drop a course with 100% refund ends at 8:00 pm.
  • 10/16/2013: Drop a class with no grade reported ends at 8:00 pm. Middle of Semester
  • 11/28/2013 - 11/29/2013: Thanksgiving Break. No classes. University closed.
  • 12/06/2013: Last day of class.
  • 12/09/2013: Final Exam, 12:45 - 2:45pm.

Links: