MTH 306 (Fall 2017): Introduction to Differential Equations (sections W and Y)

Instructor: Hanfeng Li

Office: 104 Mathematics Building.     Phone: 645-8762

Office Hours: M 3-4pm, W 2-3pm.

Email: hfli@math.buffalo.edu

Course Page: http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~hfli/teaching/306/306fall17.htm

Lectures: TR 11:00am-12:20pm (Section W) TR 2:00pm-3:20pm (Section Y)             
Room: Nsc 222 (Section W) Nsc 218 (Section Y)

Textbook: Edwards, Penney, Calvis, Differential Equations: Computing and Modeling, 3rd custom UB edition. It consists of Chapters 1-8 of the standard 5th edition of Edwards, Penney, Calvis, Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems: Computing and Modeling.
TA's Labs (Starting from September 5)
Section W1: R 2:00pm-2:50pm, Norton 216.                                           
Section W2: R 3:00pm-3:50pm, Norton 216.
Section W3: T 2:00pm-2:50pm, Norton 216.
Section Y1: T 9:00am-9:50am, Notron 216.
Section Y2: R 9:00am-9:50am, Norton 216.
Section Y3: T 4:00pm-4:50pm, Norton 216.  
                                   
TA
     TBA


Math Help Center
Graduate students will be at Room 110 of the mathematics building to answer any math questions you might have. The center will open on Monday, September 11. Hours are 9am-4pm.

Course Description

This course examines various analytic, graphical and numerical methods for solving 1st and higher-order ordinary differential equations. Certain 1st order systems and linear systems in general will be discussed, supplemented by the necessary background from linear algebra. Additional topics include forcing, resonance and nonlinear systems. The course concludes with series solutions about a regular singular point and Laplace transforms.

Text To Be Covered (Outline)
Chapter 1: 1-6.      Chapter 2: 2-4.     Chapter 3: 1-6.      Chapter 4: 1-3.      Chapter 5: 1-2, 5.   Chapter 6: 1-2, 4.  Chapter 7: 1-6.  Chapter 8: 1-3. 

Lecture schedule

Prerequisite
MTH 141-142.

Maple
There will be 4 assignments which are to be written in Maple. The Maple assignments should be completed in recitation. The time for the recitation with Maple assignments are listed in the Lecture schedule. The recitations with Maple assignments are at the computer lab in Baldy 8B, not Norton 216.

In order to solve the Maple problems:
1. Please download Maple 2016 by clicking through MyUB/Computing/Downloads for personally-owned computers. This download is free and the instructions are very clear. You will need the purchase code to complete the download.
2. Please apply fror a SENS (Science and Engineering Node Service) account. Go to sens.buffalo.edu, then click on Apply for a SENS account. 

If you have any trouble, please call:
the CIT Helpdesk: 645-3542 
SENS Helpdesk: 645-3797



Homework
Homework will be assigned every Thursday, except those weeks before term tests, and will be due at the beginning of the lecture one week later.  There will be totally 10 homework assignments. Only selected problems will be graded, depending on the availability of the grader.
Homework Assignments

Exams
10-minute in-lab quizzes will be given. There will be totally 4 quizzes (see the Lecture Schedule for time). The quiz problems are similar to those in the homework.

There will be three 80-min in-lecture term tests: 
Term Test 1: Tuesday, September 26.
Term Test 2: Tuesday, October 31.
Term Test 3: Tuesday, December 5.
Most of the term test problems are similar to those in the homework.

No final exam. Calculators are not allowed in quizzes and term tests.

Late Policy
No make-up quizzes.

Grading Policy
The 2 lowest homework grades and the lowest quiz grade will be dropped. In other words, we shall count only your best 8 homework and best 3 quizzes.

Your final grade will be determined by:
Homework: 20%      Quizzes: 15%      Two highest Term tests: each 25%     The lowest Term test: 15%

Disabilities
If you have a diagnosed disability (physical, learning or psychological) which will make it difficult to carry out the course work as outlined, or requires accomodations such as recruiting note takers, readers, or extended time on exams and/or assignment, please advise me during the first two weeks of the course so we may review possible arrangements for reasonable accomodations.

Important Dates
Tuesday, September 5          Last day to add/drop the course - no record appears on transcript.
Friday, November 10           Last day to RESIGN from the course - an "R" appears on transcript.

Making Up Incompletes
To make up an Incomplete in a math course you must:

1) Not re-register for the course -- you are making up an incomplete in your original course.

2) Appear in person at the Mathematics Building, Room 233, ask for Patti Wieclaw and ask her to initiate an incomplete petition form for you.

3) Sign the petition.

4) a) If your original instructor determined that the work was to be completed with him/her, take the approved petition form to your original instructor for signature.
    b) If your original instructor determined that the work was to be completed by repeating the course, take the approved petition form to me for signature.

5. Return the petition form to Patti Wieclaw in Rm. 233 Math Bldg. by the last day of add/drop - Tuesday, September 5.
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