MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations
Time and Location
Spring 2014, Section 022H, MWF – 5th period, 11:45 – 12:35 am, LIT 201
Description and Goals
Text: Fundamentals of Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems, 6th Edition, by R. K. Nagle, E. B. Saff, and A. D. Snider
Content: Chapters 1-8. Topics of lectures along with homework problems will be posted after each class meeting.
Quizzes: There will be three quizzes given in class preliminary scheduled on Fridays: January 31, March 21, and April 18. Quiz problems will be taken straight from the homework. Any change in the quiz schedule will be posted on the course webpage. No formula sheet, no notes, no book, no any kind of electronic devices are allowed on quizzes. Makeups for missed quizzes only with written medical excuse.
Exams: There will be two midterm exams and a final. The midterm exams are preliminary scheduled on Fridays: February 7 and March 28. Exam 1 covers all the topics discussed in class prior to it. Exam 2 covers all the topic discussed after Exam 1. Any change in the exam schedule will be posted on the course webpage. The final exam is cumulative. Regular class meetings will be used for Exams 1 and 2. All exam problems are conceptually the same as the homework problems and/or examples discussed in class. One formula sheet (A4 format) written by yourself, no Xerox, no torn book pages, etc. is allowed on exams. On your formula sheet you may write equations, meditation mantras, Math love poems, that is, anything you feel would help you do your best on exams. Any kind of electronic devices are not permitted on exams. Makeups for missed exams only with written medical excuse.
Special accommodation: Students requesting special accommodation for exams must first register with the Dean of Student Office. The Dean of Student Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to me when requesting accommodation.
Student honor code: Zero tolerance to any kind of cheating on written assignments (such as use of any unauthorized written or printed notes, copying solutions from your class mates, and similar). When caught cheating, the course grade is an F, no exception.
Homework
Homework problems are not turned in. Some of them are discussed in class. Solving these problems is essential for understanding the course and attaining a good grade. Do homework regularly as it makes nearly a third of your grade (via quizzes). Don’t count much on “catching up later”. This is usually the fastest way to a disastrous grade.
Grading
Each assignment is graded out of 100 pts (if no extra credit problem is offered). All regular problems are worth the same, that is, each problem gives you 100/N pts, N is the number of problems in the assignment, when solved correctly. There is a small partial credit for incomplete solutions. In your course grade, the quiz average counts 30%, exam average counts 40%, final exam counts 30%
G = 0.3 QA + 0.4 EA + 0.3 F
where QA = (Q1+Q2+Q3)/3 is the quiz average, EA = (E1+E2)/2 the exam average, and F the final exam score.
Extra credit: One extra non-standard problem in all exams and quizzes, if solved correctly, adds 10-20 pts toward your assignment score. The perfect score can therefore exceed 100 pts when the extra credit problem is solved.
Grading Scale
The grade thresholds
A: G>85; A-: G>80; B+: G>75; B: G>70; B-: G>65; C+: G>60; C: G>55; C-: G>50; D+: G>45; D: G>40; F: G<40
If your score on every assignment exceeds 90 during the semester, the regular final exam is not mandatory. Instead you may take a take-home exam on the very last day of classes and turn it in next day evening (time and place will be announced). The take-home exam covers only the material discussed after Exam 2. Its score counts as the final exam score.
Attendance and Late Policy
No credit for class attendance. You may leave or come any time without asking my permission. However the class attendance is strongly recommended as the material will be presented in the order different from that in the textbook. Also, examples relevant for written class assignments will be discussed along with some of homework problems. A brief description of topics covered in each class meeting will be posted in the homework assingnments page.