Math 280 Fall 2010

Differential Equatoins
Math 280 - Fall 2010 - Class 15803
California State University Northridge
Bruce E. Shapiro, Ph.D.
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The information on this page constitutes the official university syllabus for Math 280, Fall 2010, Class 15803. Subject to Change without notice. Last Revised 14 June 2010.

Schedule Notes Assignments

Class Location:

Class Time:

Class Number:

Instructor:

Email:

Office Hours:

CR 5114 (What? Where's that?)

Tues/Thurs 4:00-5:15

15803

Bruce E Shapiro Ph.D

bruce.e.shapiro at csun.edu (See note about SPAM blockers)

To be announced in class

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Class Web Page:

http://www.beshapiro.com/math280/
Students are responsible for checking the web page regularly for announcements and homework assignments.

Class Description from catalog:

Co-requisite: Math 262. Prerequisite: MATH 150B. Recommended Corequisite or Preparatory: MATH 250. Ordinary differential equations, series solutions, systems of equations, Laplace transforms, with emphasis on applications and introduction to numerical techniques. Course is not open to students who have credit for MATH 351.

The Real Pre-requisites (what I expect to you to know coming in to the class):

You are going to use everything you (should have) learned in calculus and linear algebra in this class. You should be comfortable calculating derivatives and integrals of most functions (including things like partial fractions and substitutions), calculating partial derivatives, how to multiply two matrices, how to calculate the determinate of a matrix, and you should understand the concept of linear independence of vectors.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completing the class, the student should:

Recognize a differential equation and be able to determine if a solution exists.
Be able to solve basic differential equations including linear equations at all orders, using a variety of methods.
Understand the difference between analytic and numerical solutions.
Calculate the numerical solution to an initial value problem.

Topics Covered:

First Order Differential Equations
Second Order Linear Differential Equations
Higher Order Linear Equations
Series Solutions
Laplace Transform Methods
First Order Linear Systems
Numerical Methods
Existence and Uniqueness of solutions

Grades:

There will be three or four exams and the final. The final will count as two exams.

Homework will count as one exam.

Your grade will be reduced by 3 points for each unexecused absence.

Attendance:

Is required and your grade will be penalized if you miss too many classes. Your grade will be reduced 3 points (out of 100) for each unexecused absence.
Remember to sign in during every class.

Textbook:

Boyce, Willam E and DiPrima, Richard C. Elementary Differential Equations, Wiley. 6th Edition (1996). (Out of print).

Current in-print edition: [9th ed: $192.95 at Publisher | $216.50 at Bookstore]

Why spend such an outrageous price on a book? You tell me. Maybe you have gobs of money with nothing better to do than buy a book that keeps getting revised every couple of years but was perfectly good eight editions and two hundred dollars ago.
Do not buy the book before coming to class!

A sufficient number of used copies of the 6th Edition (which will be used by the instructor) will be available at cost, approximately $10 each.

[ Shop for 6th Edition of Elementary Differential Equations Online: ISBN-0471089532 ]

[ Shop for 6th Edition of Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems Online: ISBN 0471089559 - this is virtually the identical book with two extra chapters added to the end of it. ]

Other editions of this book are acceptable, but you will be responsible for proper articulation between your text and the class.

Student solution manuals are widely available for most editions. Feel free to pick up one of these as well; its best to try to get a solution manual that corresponds to the same edition as the textbook as the chapters and exercise numbers change. If you shop online beware purchansing a paperback version of the textbook because it may actually be a student solution manual that is mis-labeled. There are actually paperback versions of some editions printed in Asia but they are more difficult to find.

Cookies:

I encourage students to bring snacks to share with me and the rest of the class.

Student Conduct

Students are expected to conduct themselves in accord with university policies on Student Conduct and Academic Dishonesty. Violation of this code could be punishable by a failing grade in the class or removal from the university, as determined by Dean of Students.

I require students to sign an affirmation that they will abide by the student conduct code (and not cheat in this class) and to reaffirm this contract at each exam. If you are uncomfortable signing this affirmation you should not enroll in this class.

The student conduct code is posted at: http://www.csun.edu/a&r/soc/studentconduct.html and is in the University Catalog, Appendix C.

Impact of State Budget Crisis

(Reflects the 2009/2010 situation: This may not apply to the Fall 2010 Term)

You are no doubt aware of the California's budget deficit and economic crisis. The CSU (California State University System) is facing a $585 million dollar reduction in funding. The cut to CSUN is in the tens of millions of dollars. By cutting back on salaries for faculty, administrators, managers, staff workers, maintenance workers, nurses, instructors, librarians, etc., our campus can make up a part of this shortfall. This is in addition to significant tuition increases and cuts to classes. All of these are ways this campus is trying to deal with the reality of the budget cuts to CSUN.

Most of the workers mentioned above are covered by a "furlough" plan, which means the workers will see a ~10% reduction in pay over the school year and a corresponding reduction in their workload. This semester you will see the whole campus closed on designated days. Each faculty member will also have nine furlough days during the semester. During these furlough days faculty cannot do any work (for the university): no returning or taking of phone calls, no reading emails, no grading papers, no teaching, no meeting with students, nothing.

You are paying more for your education now than ever before but note that these new rules for faculty mean that your instructors may have to cancel or reschedule some class meetings; may not get papers back as quickly as in the past; some assignments may not be collected or checked at all; may have to reduce office hours; and may have to omit material from some classes.

As you know this crisis has also meant that many course sections cannot be offered, have limited seats available and/or classes have been canceled.

This situation is outrageous and heart breaking for us. We want you to have the best academic preparation possible, but that goal is becoming more difficult to reach given the economic realities we all face.

We encourage you to step up and get involved in your higher education, your future, and the future of California. Contact your state legislators and tell them what you think. Contact our Governor. Attend the rallies and events that will occur on campus this semester. Join the Students for a Quality Education (SQE) group on campus. Take action! By taking action, we can make change!

Go to leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html to find out who your assembly and legislative representatives are.

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