Math 217 Fall 2001

Index

1. Page Update History
2. Section Information
3. Grading Information
4. Text
5. Lesson Schedule
6. Technology Supplements
7. Homework
8. Old Exams
9. Feedback

1. Page Update History

5 December	Assignment 4 Solutions posted.
26 November	Assignment 5 posted.
15 November	Solutions to Exam 3 posted.
14 November	Link to Exam 3 Spring 2001 has been corrected.
14 November	Repost of Exam 2 Spring 2001 with more answers.
13 November	Correction to syllabus. Thursday's exam does not cover Section 9.3, as was originally posted. Assignment 4 posted.
29 October	Solutions to Assignment 3 posted.
18 October	Solutions to Exam 2 posted.
12 October	Assignment 3 posted.
12 October	Solutions to Assignment 2 posted.
10 October	Patch Installation Instructions for R7 owners.
3 October	Solutions to Assignment I posted. Second assignment posted.
14 September	Exam I Solutions posted. Assignment I posted.
10 September	Exams 1 - 3 Spring 2001 posted. Link for exam location and seating information. (See end of section.) Link for scanned old exams in pdf format. Summary of assumed knowledge.
3 September	Suggested problems for week 3 posted. Problems on Bernoulli equations added to section 2.3 exercises.
22 August	Page first posted.

2. Section Information

There are three sections. The core material, homework and exams are the same for each section.

Section	Time	Location	Instructor	email	Office Hours
1	MTThF 9-10	McDonnell Hall 362	W. Zhao	zhao@math.wustl.edu	Cupples I Room 112a T & Th 1:00-2:30
2	MTThF 10-11	McDonnell Hall 362	D. Labate	dlabate@math.wustl.edu	Cupples I Room 112a M & F 11:30-12:30
3	MTThF 11-12	McDonnell Hall 162	B. Blank	brian@math.wustl.edu	Cupples I Room 224 T & F 12:00 - 1:00

The three evening exams scores, E1, E2, and E3, the final exam, E4, (each out of 100) and the total homework score, HW, based on N assignments (each out of 100), will be combined in the following way to obtain a point total out of 100:

S1 := (90-2*N)*(E1 + E2 + E3 + 2*E4 - min(Ei: i=1..4))/400 + (10+2*N)*HW/(N*100);

S2 := (E1 + E2 + E3 + 2*E4 - min(Ei: i=1..4))/4

S := max(S1,S2);

The score S out of 100 will be translated into a letter grade of A, B, C, D, F (with plus and minus shadings) in a way that is not stricter than the following table:

Numerical Range	Letter Grade
[80,100]	A
[65,80)	B
[50-65)	C
[40-50)	D
[0,40)	F

It is not likely that "curving" will be applied. There is not much point in asking about this. That is because nothing will be decided until after the final exam. However, it is prudent to assume that there will be no curving. In Fall 2000, for example, nobody received a B or an A by virtue of curving.

Neither calculators nor "cheat sheets" will be permitted on the exams.

Exam location information.

4. Text

Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems, Fourth Edition, William Derrick, Stanley Grossman.

5. Lesson Schedule

The following lesson plan is somewhat tentative (except for the scheduled examinations). Do not print this schedule and assume that it will be in force throughout the semester. It is recommended that you check the current version periodically. The "suggested problems" are just that - suggested drill to ensure that you are following the basic concepts and procedures. They are not to be turned in. Do more or less according to your need for practice.

Week	Sections	Suggested Problems
#1 (08/22-08/24)	1.1, 1.2, and 1.3	1.1: 1, 5, 13, 15 1.2: 8-12, 15 1.3: 5, 8
#2 (08/27-08/31)	1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3	1.4:1 2.1:1, 3, 5, 7 2.2:3, 5 2.3:1, 3, 5, 11, 13, 39, 41
#3 (09/04-09/07)	2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.10	2.4:1,3,5,15,17,19 2.5:1, 3, 5, 11, 13 2.6:5, 7
#4 (09/10-09/14) EXAM 1: Thursday 6:30-8:30PM Covers Chapters 1 and 2	3.1 and 3.2	3.1:1-23 odd 3.2:1-13 odd
#5 (09/17-09/21)	3.3, 3.4, 3.5	3.3: 1, 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 21, 23 3.4:1-11 odd, 13, 19 3.5:1-9 odd
#6 (09/24-09/28)	3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10	3.6:1-9 odd, 15, 19 3.7:1-11, odd 3.8:1-15, odd
#7 (10/01-10/05)	4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5	4.1:1, 3, 5 4.2:1, 3, 5, 9, 11 4.3:1, 3, 5, 11
#8 (10/08-10/11) Fall Break Friday No classes	5.1 and 5.2	5.1:1, 3, 7, 9, 17-23 odd, 29 5.2:1-11 odd, 21, 23
#9 (10/13-10/19) EXAM 2: Thursday 6:30-8:30PM Covers Chapters 3, 4, and Sections 5.1 and 5.2	5.3 and 5.5	5.3:1, 3, 9, 13 5.5:29
#10 (10/22-10/26)	6.1, 6.2, and 6.3(begin)	6.1:3, 5, 9, 11, 17, 19, 21, 23, 31, 33, 43, 45, 47, 49 6.2:1-9 odd,19
#11 (10/29-11/02)	6.3, 6.4	6.3:1, 3, 5, 9, 15, 19, 21, 23, 27, 29, 33, 37 6.4:1, 3, 5, 13, 15
#12 (11/05-11/09)	7.1, 7.2, 7.4, 9.1, 9.2	7.1:1, 3, 5 7.2:1 7.4:1, 3, 5, 7 9.1:21, 25, 29, 35, 43, 45 9.2:1, 3, 5, 9, 13
#13 (11/12-11/16) EXAM 3: Thursday 6:30-8:30PM Covers 5.3 - 9.2	9.3, 9.4 and 9.5	9.3:1,3,5,15,17 9.4:1-15 odd 9.5:1,3,5,9,15, 19, 21
#14 (11/19-11/20)	9.6, 9.7, and 10.1	9.6:1 9.7:3, 7 10.1:1, 3
#15 (11/26-11/30)	10.2, 10.3, 11.1, and 11.2	10.2:1, 3, 5, 7 10.3:1, 3, 5 11.1:1, 3, 5, 9 11.2:5, 7
#16 (12/03-12/04) Wednesday-Friday Reading Period No classes	11.3, 11.4	11.3:3,5,7,19 11.4:15,17,21,25
FINAL EXAMINATION	Friday, 14 Dec 2001 3:30 - 5:30 PM	Please verify in Course Listings

6. Technology Supplements

You may make and retain electronic copies of the resources that are made available provided you do not modify them. In particular you may not remove the authorship section.

Please do not make hard copies of these documents. They are intended to be viewed in a monitor. There is no good reason for wasting resources by printing them.

Maple uses the name "worksheet" to refer to a generic Maple document. There is no work for you to do in any of the posted worksheets. In particular, the worksheets in the following table are not homework assignments! The following worksheets correspond to the indicated section of Edwards and Penney. Using Netscape for Windows, right click on an icon. Choose "Save Link as". Make sure to include the mws extention in the filename. Maple worksheets are platform independent so do not worry if you think differently. If you do a regular click on an icon then you will bring up an ASCII file that your browser can display but not decode. To view these worksheets as intended, please use either Maple or the MapleV Release 4 Demo. Newer releases of Maple will open the R4 worksheets, prompting you for an update.

Section	Maple V R4	Maple 6 (Not Yet Available)
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.8
2.5
4.1-4.6
5.1-5.8
Mechanical Vibrations

The following worksheets are intended to serve as introductions to various aspects of the general use of Maple.

Topic	Maple V R4	Maple 6 (Not Yet Available)
Functions and Derivatives
Solving Equations

7. Homework

The number N of homework assignments will depend on various factors. Expect no more than seven, quite possibly fewer. The amount of credit will depend on the number of assignments (as is seen in the formula for S1 above.) Homework that is to be turned in for credit is to be downloaded from this page. The homework will be assigned in the form of Maple worksheets. Maple is a computer algebra system that is installed in the Arts and Sciences computer lab (which is open on a walk-in basis to students of all academic divisions). Maple is also installed in the CEC (engineering) lab which is restricted to engineering students. (Here is the information that I have received on the cec version.)

It is no longer sensible to do differential equations by hand only. That is why computer work has been included in this differential equations class. It is a separate component of the coursework. The assignments are not intended to give you practice for the exams. Their purpose is to expose you to problems for which hand solutions would be unfeasable or tedious.

If your view of homework is that it is useless unless it prepares you for exams then you need not do the homework. Look carefully at the grading scheme above. There is no penalty to your grade for not turning homework in, although you lose the possibility that the homework might better your grade. Homework counts only if it boosts your grade. In the last few semesters almost all students who did the homework benefited from it even if they grumbled about it. The choice, however, is yours.

Maple is the best software tool for doing differential equations that I know of. Since Maple is a general purpose mathematical tool with packages devoted to virtually all quantitative aspects of engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences, Maple skills acquired now will be useful in all your future work. Many students coming from Math 233 will have learned some Matlab. It should be noted that Matlab is a numerical package that does only a few of the things that Maple does. However, if you feel that Matlab will be of greater use to you in doing the assignments, then you may use Matlab (or, for that matter, any other software).

The current version of Maple is Maple 7. Great improvements in the differential equations package were introduced in Release 5 and in Release 6.1. The releases available in the Arts and Sciences and CEC labs are somewhat out of date but still useful. Purchase of Maple is not necessary - owning your own copy would be merely a convenience. If you intend to use a lab copy of Maple and if you have your own computer, then you probably should download a free demo of Release 4:

MapleV Release 4 Demo

This demo does not have all Maple commands, nor does it allow you to print or save any work. It will therefore not be useful for doing the homework. What it will do is act as a Maple reader allowing you to read the prepared worksheets that are linked from this page.

Before beginning your first homework assignment, you are cautioned to read the statement of academic integrity that, with the following exception, will be in force.

Exception: Violations will be referred to the Academic Integrity Committee of the School of Arts and Sciences, not the Discipline Committee of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Homework Groups:
You may do the homework by yourself if you wish. If you prefer, then you may form a homework group with one other student. In no circumstances will a group with more than two members be permitted. One homework (with two names) should be turned in per homework group.

Homework groups are not intended as a device to share labor. It is not permitted that you do an assignment and your partner does the next. If your partner has not contributed significantly to the assignment, then you must acknowledge any help he may have provided, but you must not submit the homework as a joint effort. If you do, then you will be in violation of academic integrity.

Homework Assignment	Posted	Due
Assignment 1	Sept 18 (Link corrected)	September 25
Assignment 2	Oct 3 2001	Oct 11 2001
Assignment 3	October 12	October 23
Assignment 4	November 13 2001	November 20 2001
Assignment 5	November 26	December 3

Homework Solutions	Maple V R4	Maple 6
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Assignment 4

8. Old Exams

Some old exams are available on-line. They have been scanned and exist as pdf files: Old exam page.

The following are exams in Maple worksheet format. They have the advantage of being "live". Also, the questions are answered but using Maple commands.

Exam	Maple 6
Exam 1 Fall 2000
Exam 2 Fall 2000
Exam 3 Fall 2000
Final Fall 2000

Exam	Maple 6
Exam 1 Spring 2001
Exam 2 Spring 2001
Exam 3 Spring 2001

Exam	Maple 6
Exam 1 Fall 2001
Exam 2 Fall 2001
Exam 3 Fall 2001

9. Feedback

Sometimes it saves time to share comments, gripes, questions, whatever, with everybody. There is consequently a feedback page associated with this course.


Brian E. Blank

Department of Mathematics

Washington University in St. Louis

                             1 Brookings Drive

                             St. Louis, MO  63130

 

                             Phone: (314) - 935 - 6763

                             Fax:   (314) - 935 - 6839 

 

                             e-mail: brian@math.wustl.edu

Last Updated: 5 December 2001