Note on Homework: the information on this page is relevant only for the section of Math 302 taught by Prof. Guentner. If you are in the other section you may still find the page useful although precise dates and homework assignments will differ somewhat.
After the brief introductory Chapter 1 we begin in Chapter 2 by discussing direction fields, and the geometry of solutions of first order equations. After this discussion, which applies to both linear and non-linear equations, we will develop the method of integrating factors for solving linear equations.
Chapter 3 treats second order equations. We will concentrate on the method of the characteristic polynomial for solving homogeneous, constant coeffecient equations. There will be a short discussion of non-homogeneous equations. The theory of 2x2 systems of first order equations closely resembles the theory of second order equations and it is therefore natural to discuss Chapter 7 immediately after Chapter 3. This theory relies heavily on some basic linear algebra which will be covered as needed.
The next topic is the Laplace transform, which is a powerful technique for solving differential equations. The body of the course will end with discussion of the power series method for solving differential equations.
Time permitting, we will cap the course with a brief introduction to either the heat or the wave equation. This serves as a commercial for the sequence Math 402-403 on partial differential equations.
You should try to do all the problems. Quizzes are marked in red.
An example of how to read the table.
| Date | Sections | Homework | Reading & Notes |
| Tue, 13 Jan | 1.3 & 1.1 | 1.1:3 & 1.3:8,12,28 | 1.1 |
| Thu, 15 Jan | 1.1 -- 2.1 | 1.1:11,22, 1.2:1c,2c,13, 1.3:1,5 & 2.1:13,15 | 1.2 |
| Tue, 20 Jan | 2.1 & 2.4 (Thm 2.4.1) | 2.1:11,22,23,24 & 2.4:1,17 | 2.1 |
| Thu, 22 Jan | 2.1 | no additional homework, just quiz 1 | 2.1 again |
| Tue, 27 Jan | 2.2 | 2.2:2,6,8,23,27a & quiz 1 due in class | none |
| Thu, 29 Jan | 2.2 & 2.4 (Thm 2.4.2) | 2.2:9,15,16,21 & 2.4:11,14,17,22ab,23 | 2.2 & 2.4 |
| Tue, 3 Feb | 2.4 & 2.8 | 2.8:3 | and do it! |
| Thu, 5 Feb | 2.3 | 2.2:30,35,37 & 2.3:8,10,20,30 & quiz 2 | 2.3 |
| Tue, 10 Feb | 2.5 | 2.5:3,4,7,9,15,20,24 | none |
| Thu, 12 Feb | 2.6 | 2.6:1,2,10,19,21,26 & quiz 2 due in class | none |
| Tue, 17 Feb | 3.1 & 3.2 | 3.1:1,5,10,12,16,17,21,30 | 3.2 |
| Thu, 19 Feb | 3.4 & 3.5 | 3.4:7,12,18,21,27 & 3.5:1,2,11 | 3.5 |
| Tue, 24 Feb | 3.5 & 3.2 | 3.5:24,25,28 & 3.2:8,12,13,23,25 | exam |
| Thu, 26 Feb | Exam 1 (firm) | Exam 1: covers Ch. 1, Ch. 2 and Ch. 3.1 - 3.5 | Exam 1 |
| Tue, 2 Mar | 3.3 & 3.6 | 3.3:24,25,27 and/or 28 | none |
| Thu, 4 Mar | 3.6 | 3.6:2,3,6,14,15,18,20a,22a | none |
| Tue, 9 Mar | 3.7 | 3.7:1,3,6,7,10,13,17 & quiz 3 or quiz 3.5 | none |
| Thu, 11 Mar | 3.8 | 3.8:6,7,11 | 3.8 |
| Tue, 16 Mar | 3.8 & 3.9 | 3.8:10,16,19,21,22 & 3.9:5 & quiz 3 or 3.5 due in class | 3.9 |
| Thu, 18 Mar | 3.9 | nothing new | none |
| Tue, 30 Mar | 4.1 & 7.1 | Read 4.1 & 7.1 | 4.1 |
| Thu, 1 Apr | 6.1 | 6.1:5,7,10,11,14,15,16 | 6.1 |
| Tue, 6 Apr | 6.1 & 6.2 | 6.1:3,21,23,25 & 6.2:11,13,18,21,22 | 6.2 |
| Thu, 8 Apr | 6.2 & 6.3 | 6.2:1,2,4,7,27b,28,31 & 6.3:1,10,18,27 & quiz 4 | none |
| Tue, 13 Apr | 6.3 | 6.3:4,11,14,15,19a,28,31 | quiz 4 due in class |
| Thu, 15 Apr | Exam 2 (firm) | Exam 2: Covers 3.6 - 6.2 (and some 6.3) | Exam 2 |
| Tue, 20 Apr | 6.5 & 6.4 | 6.4:3,4,8,17 & 6.5:1 | 6.4 & 6.5 |
| Thu, 22 Apr | 6.4 & 6.5 | 6.5:7,13,16,18,23 | 6.4 & 6.5 |
| Tue, 27 Apr | 6.6 | 6.6:5,6,9,10 & quiz 5 | none |
| Thu, 29 Apr | 6.6 | 6.6:12,15,16 | quiz 5 due in class |
| Tue, 4 May | Last Day | Final exam information | Last Day |