| Course page: |
ON CAMPUS: http://www.math.fsu.edu/~mesterto/ODE.html (this
page)
OFF CAMPUS:
http://www.math.fsu.edu.proxy.lib.fsu.edu/~mesterto/CalcIII.html
(with your FSUID username and password) |
| Professor: | Dr M-G
|
| Office: | 202B Love
|
| Office hours: |
Please click here.
Office hours are subject to change during the semester
at 24 hours notice, but current times are always posted
online. Note that office hours are primarily for
personal matters that cannot be addressed in class (as
opposed to tutorial help, for which see under Course
format and How to
study below) |
| Phone: | (850 64) 42580
|
| Main website: |
Professor M-G's
Home Page Email: |
| Goal: |
To introduce techniques for solving ordinary
differential equations, emphasizing both computational
methods and conceptual understanding |
| Class meets: |
In 201 MCH on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays at 14:00—15:20 (2:00—3:20p.m.)
|
| Text: |
Boyce and DiPrima, Elementary Differential Equations,
9th edition (Wiley, 2009, ISBN 978-0-470-03940-3), Chapters 2, 3, 5 and
6 (but not necessarily in that order). Note that you are expected to
bring the text to class each day (except on test days), so that we can
refer to diagrams such as those which appear on pp. 9, 37 or 43 |
| Credit: | 3 semester hours |
| Eligibility: |
You must have the prerequisites listed below, and you must
not have credit for MAP 3305 Engineering Math I |
| Prerequisites: |
| (i) |
C- or better in MAC 2312 (Calculus with Analytic Geometry
II) or appropriate transfer credit (satisfactory completion of
at least eight hours of calculus courses equivalent to MAC
2311 and MAC 2312), although Calculus III also is strongly
advised if your Calculus II grade is below
B-; and |
| (ii) |
self-motivation and industriousness. Dr M-G's philosophy of
learning is perhaps best expressed by the following
diagram: |
|
| |
ALTERNATIVE THEORIES OF LEARNING VERSUS
PAIN
 |
For further details, please click here.
|
| Communication: |
I will send email to your FSU email account on a regular
basis. It is your responsibility to check it regularly (or arrange to
have my messages forwarded, if you prefer to read your email
elsewhere) |
| Your name: |
 |
|
I don't know who you are, but because
everything works so much better when I do, I would like to
learn your name as soon as possible. So, please take a sheet of
card stock (or even paper), fold it in half, write your name in large letters on
one side and stand it up on your desk so that I can see it.
(Write what you want me to call you: if you're a William who
likes to be called Dubya or a Margaret Jane who likes to be
called Dee Dee, write Dubya or Dee Dee, not William or Margaret
Jane.) Please bring your nameplate to every class
until I have finally learnt your name (which will take
significantly longer than it used to take when I started
out) |
|
| Course format: |
The course will be based on your reading of Chapters 2, 3,
5 and 6 of the text together with much interactive problem solving, on
which we'll spend most of our time in class. After each period I will
set homework for the following period (either at the end of class or
soon afterwards by email). This homework will consist of three items:
- Problems on the current topic
- An assigned reading (not uncommonly the next section or two of
the text, but note that we will sometimes skip a section or two,
and will likely cover Chapter 6 before Chapter 5)
- A problem associated with the topic of the assigned
reading
A small subset of Item 1 will be collected and graded, and will count
for 10-15% of your grade. However, it is essential also to complete a
significant and representative sample of the problems that are not
graded (as many as you have time for), as well as to at least
attempt Item 3. For the sake of illustration, here is your second
homework, that is, your homework for Monday, May 10:
- Do as many as possible of the following problems that we have
not already done in class: p.~8, ## 15-20, ## 7-10; p.~24, ##
1-6; p.~25, ## 11-14
- Read Section 2.1 (pp. 31-39)
- At least seriously attempt #14 on p. 39
At the start of each class, I will always assume that you have both
read (not necessarily understood) the assigned reading and at least
seriously attempted (not necessarily completed) the associated problem,
that is, you have completed Items 2 and 3. I will begin the class by
highlighting the key points of Item 2, mainly to jog your memory. I
will work from notes that ultimately get posted here. (The notes are primarily to help me remember
what I decided to cover; however, to the extent that they are also
useful to you, you are welcome to avail yourselves of them.)
We will then proceed to work on problems,
beginning with Item 3. Questions may be asked at any time—and
should be, if there's anything you don't understand. (Perhaps you have
a question about the assigned reading that you anticipate being
answered by one or more of the problems we work together; in which
case, it may well be socially minded not to ask your question at the
outset. However, if it turns out that you anticipated incorrectly, then
be sure to ask your question before the class is over!)
Occasional quizzes will be given at the end of
a class and will count for 10-15% of your grade. On days when there is
no quiz, we will attempt to end the formal class period after about an
hour, so that the last 20 minutes or so can be devoted to individual
tutorial help. |
| First homework: |
Before our first meeting at 14:00 on Monday, May 10: please read
Chapter 1 (Introduction) and at least seriously attempt #11 on
p. 8. On that day I will assume that you have completed both of these
tasks and are prepared to ask about anything you didn't
understand, because all I will do in class—before moving on to
solving problems—is to highlight key points of Chapter 1 from the
perspective of this course. |
| Test format: |
Begin each question (but not subsequent parts of the same question)
on a fresh sheet of paper, use one side of the paper only, and have
your solutions stapled together in order at the end of the examination.
Do not use dog ears. (Not owning a stapler is no excuse: I will bring
one to the classroom.) Needless to say, your
name must appear on Page 1 |
| Calculator policy: |
You are allowed to use a Texas Instruments TI-30XA, TI-30XS,
TI-30XIIB, TI-30XIIS or TI-36X Scientific Calculator or a four-function
calculator for tests and quizzes. The use of any other calculator for a
test or a quiz is strictly forbidden.
Homework, however, is an entirely different
matter. For homework, you are not only allowed to use a graphing
calculator or mathematical software like ODEToolkit, you are strongly
encouraged to do so (provided that, when you turn in written homework,
you show all necessary details of your method, with enough comments or
diagrams to make it clear that you thoroughly understand). The
rationale behind this policy is as follows: You should use a graphing
calculator or mathematical software only to speed up tasks you
understand so well that you could carry them out flawlessly without the
help of a graphing calculator or mathematical software, if you had
sufficient time and did not have access to either tool. Tests are
designed to assess whether you have attained the requisite level of
understanding (and the time allowed will be commensurate). |
| Grades: |
Will be based on (a small subset of) the homework problems and the
quizzes (25% collectively) and three classroom tests (25% apiece), for
which you must use either a pen or a dark pencil. Note that it is not
enough merely to produce an answer. The method by which you obtain it
must be sound and clearly demonstrated: Show all necessary steps in
your method, with enough comments or diagrams to make it convincing
that you thoroughly understand.
Precise cut-off points for A, B and C will be
determined by the distribution of grades at the end of the semester,
but are likely be in the vicinity of 90%, 80% and 70%, respectively. In
borderline cases, a smaller number of completely correct solutions will
carry more weight than a proportionate number of fragmentary answers;
later test scores will carry more weight than earlier test scores; and
a record of active participation in class will carry more weight than a
record of passive attendance (in that order of relative importance
among these three factors). Plus or minus grades may be assigned
in a manner consistent with standard University practice.
Please note that partial credit will be awarded
only when part of a solution is completely correct—not when all of
a solution is partially correct, whatever that means, if anything. A
score for a question worth 10 points should be interpreted as follows:
| 10 |
Practically perfect |
9 |
Still very good, but
lacking—or wrong about—a significant detail |
| 8 |
Still good, but lacking—or
wrong about—significant details |
| 7 |
Minimally satisfactory. You
have—just—managed to demonstrate that you basically
understand and are at least capable of getting all details correct
(although it clearly did not happen this time) |
| 6 |
A grade that will not be given |
| 5 |
Half right in some appropriate sense
(e.g., there were two parts, each worth 5 points, and your first part
was practically perfect) |
| 1-4 |
Not even half right and showing
little understanding, but some degree of positive effort |
Also note that a grade of I will not be given to avoid a grade of F or to
give additional study time. Failure to process a course drop will result in
a course grade of F |
Solutions to graded
homework problems: |
Will be posted here |
Solutions to other
homework problems: |
Will be posted here if, and only if,
specifically requested (if you ask in class, be advised to back up
your request with an email, otherwise I may forget).
I caution you, however: never read the
posted solution to a problem until first of all you have
seriously attempted the problem yourself. If you have at least
made a serious (and I do mean serious) attempt, then—even
if you were unable to complete the problem yourself—you will
benefit from reading the posted solution; if not, then not (rather, you
will merely form a false impression of how well you understand ... as
indicated by the green curve in the above learning-versus-pain diagram) |
| Quiz solutions: |
Will be posted here |
| Test solutions: |
Will be posted here |
| Attendance policy: |
You are expected to attend class regularly, and bear the full
responsibility for learning anything covered during any class that you
miss. |
| Exam policy: |
No makeup exams. An absence may be excused given sufficient
evidence of extenuating circumstances (in which case, extra weight will
be attached to the other exams). But you must either have discussed
the matter with me (well) in advance; or, in the case of illness, have
brought me a note from a physician explicitly stating that you were too
ill to attend class on the day in question. An unexcused absence will
result in a grade of zero |
| Etiquette: |
You are firmly bound by Florida State University's Academic Honor Code. Briefly, you have the
responsibility to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in
your own work, to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity
in the University community, and to foster a high sense of integrity
and social responsibility on the part of the University community. Even
more briefly, you must neither cheat nor enable others to cheat. The
penalties for violations can be severe. Please carefully read the
section in the FSU Student Handbook on the Honor Code and official
procedures for dealing with students who violate it. If you are in any
doubt at all as to what constitutes acceptable behavior in this regard,
you should ask me for clarification.
You are also bound by the ordinary rules and
customs of polite behavior that prevail in a civilized society. I
assume that you know these rules and customs, and I expect you to
comply with them. (In particular, you are not allowed to use a cell
phone or otherwise have private conversations with others during class;
and you are not allowed to create disturbances through arriving late or
leaving early.) |
| Test dates: |
Friday, May 21
Friday, June 4
Friday, June 18 |
| How to study: |
There is a lot of material to be covered in this course, so it is
important that you keep up from the very beginning, always attempting
as many as possible (or as necessary) of the homework problems—not
just the ones that are graded for credit, that would be far too few. If
you get stuck, then send me a question by email. As soon as I possibly
can, which might be as soon as within half an hour, but might also be a
day or two later (I have a life, too, you know), I will reply—not
to you, but rather to the class alias (after carefully concealing your
identity, just in case you are inexplicably bashful about being
perceived as smart enough to ask a question).
Note, however, the following. First, you must
identify yourself (i.e., you remain anonymous to the other students in
the class, but not to me) in the body of your message (because
your username does not identify you to me): I don't reply to anonymous
email. Second, you should be as specific as possible in describing your
difficulty: the more precisely you identify how you got stuck, the more
helpful my reply is likely to be. |
| Disabilities: | If you have a disability requiring
academic accommodations, then not only should you register with the Student
Disability Resource Center (SDRC),
but also you should bring me written confirmation from SDRC during the
first week of class. This and other class materials are available in
alternative format upon request. |