18.03 Spring 2012

(May 13) OCW contains a final exam and a practice final (with solutions). This course was very similar to this spring's. Here are two differences:
(1) This year I stressed variation of parameters over integrating factors as a solution method for non-constant coefficient linear first order equations. (The two approaches are in fact equivalent.)
(2) Two years ago, in the section on Laplace transform, I assumed that all functions satisfied "rest pre-initial conditions." This year I did not make that assumption. This has two effects:
(a) It makes the formula for L[f'] more natural and unified.
(b) It allows me to talk about second (or higher) order equations with general input signal and initial conditions.
Solutions to the final exam on the OCW site coming soon.

(May 13) Thomas Bitoun and Rami Aizenbud's office hours are cancelled this week. Remember that you are welcome at all instructor office hours; the list of times is here.

The last day of lectures (Wednesday, May 16) will be held in 26-100, not the usual lecture hall!

(May 8) Subject evaluations are now open! Please go to http://web.mit.edu/subjectevaluation/evaluate.html and fill out the evaluation form for 18.03. In particular, please be sure to fill out the section for your TA as well as for the class as a whole.

(May 8) Responses from Professor Miller to the twelfth student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(May 1) John Lesieutre's office hours this week are cancelled; recall that you're welcome at all instructor office hours. (The list of office hours is here.)

(April 30) There is a typo in the official solutions to one of the Part I questions on pset 8. A new version of the p-set noting the error is now up.

(April 28) Responses from Professor Miller to the eleventh student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(April 26) The difference equations and z-transform discussed in 6.01 are essentially the same as the differential equations and Laplace transform of 18.03. For a dictionary, see this file (PDF), especially page 13.

(April 23) A list of topics for the third hour exam is now available.

(April 22) Many TAs will be holding extra office hours or review sessions on Monday and Tuesday. See here for the list (which will be updated as TAs choose times).

Third Hour Exam Wednesday, April 25.
Bring your MIT (or some other photo) ID and place it on your exam desk.
You must go to the exam at the lecture time you have registered for. (If you are not registered in either, go to either one.)
For both hours:
Students with last names A - P : go to Walker
Students with last names Q - Z : go to 10-250
For the 2:00 exam, you will be able to enter Walker only from the Campus side.
If you are taking the 1:00 exam you may not leave early.

(April 22) Responses from Professor Miller to the tenth student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(April 17) The complete p-set 7 is now up.

(April 16) Responses from Professor Miller to the ninth student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(April 14) PSet 7 (partial) has been posted.

(April 11) Thomas Bitoun's office hours are cancelled this week and next week.

(April 8) Responses from Professor Miller to the eighth student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(April 4) Minor changes to p-set 5: in question 17(f), note that y should be assumed sinusoidal. In 21(a), strike the word "rational". A corrected version is now up.

(April 3) Hamid Hezari's office hours are moving (permanently) to W11-1.

(March 28) The completed p-set 5 is posted, as are exams 1 and 2.

(March 27) Responses from Professor Miller to the seventh student feedback forms are available here (PDF). Have a great break!

Second Hour Exam Wednesday, March 21.
Note: there will not be a formula sheet of any kind; if you want to use ERF (for example), make sure you have it memorized!
Bring your MIT (or some other photo) ID and place it on your exam desk.
You must go to the exam at the lecture time you have registered for. (If you are not registered in either, go to either one.)
For both hours:
Students with last names A - P : go to Walker
Students with last names Q - Z : go to 10-250
For the 2:00 exam, you will be able to enter Walker only from the Campus side.
If you are taking the 1:00 exam you may not leave early.

(March 19) There is a typo in the solution to II.16d -- "4 - 1/16" should be "4 + 1/16"; the error carries through, and the solution should read "65" everywhere it reads "63".

(March 18) Responses from Professor Miller to the sixth student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(March 11) The completed pset 4 is now available. Typo fixed in I.16 on March 12

(March 10) Responses from Professor Miller to the fifth student feedback forms are available here (PDF). The first part of p-set 4 is now available.

(March 7) Hamid Hezari's office hours are cancelled tomorrow.

(March 3) Responses from Professor Miller to the fourth student feedback forms are available here (PDF). Also, the completed version of p-set 3 is now available.

First Hour Exam Wednesday, February 29.
Bring your MIT (or some other photo) ID and place it on your exam desk.
You must go to the exam at the lecture time you have registered for. (If you are not registered in either, go to either one.)
For both hours:
Students with last names A - P : go to Walker
Students with last names Q - Z : go to 10-250
For the 2:00 exam, you will be able to enter Walker only from the Campus side.
If you are taking the 1:00 exam you may not leave early.

(February 29) Changes to office hours this week and next: Kiril Datchev's office hours this week are Thursday, 2-4. His office hours next week are Tuesday, 1-3.

(February 25) Responses from Professor Miller to the third student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(February 23) A practice exam is up -- see the schedule and materials page.

(February 23) The final exam date has been announced: it will be Tuesday, May 22 from 9am to noon in the track.

(February 21) Question 4 on p-set 2 has been further clarified; please see the new version.

(February 20) Responses from Professor Miller to the second student feedback forms are available here (PDF). Also, the completed version of p-set 2 is now available.

(February 19) A slight p-set clarification: in p-set 2, question 4, the concentration c varies with time, but the flow r is a constant.

(February 17) A small error in the final answer to recitation handout 4, problem 4, has been corrected; see the schedule and materials page for the updated version.

(February 12) Responses from Professor Miller to the first student feedback forms are available here (PDF).

(February 8) If you are available to wash boards for both 18.03 lectures -- so be ready at 12:55 and again at 1:55 -- and want the want the work, please email Prof Miller, hrm@math.mit.edu. Update: position is filled.

(February 2) There WILL BE recitations held on Tuesday, February 7.
Professor Miller's office hours on Wednesday, February 8 will be shorter than usual, from 4:30-5 in 2-237. (In the future, they will run from 3:15-5, as listed on the course webpage.)
Answers to some FAQ:
1) If you need to change lecture times, please contact Galina in the MAS (room 2-108).
2) You will be able to switch recitation sections on Stellar beginning Monday, February 6.
3) The 5th edition of the textbook is equivalent content-wise. However, problems and problem numbering may be different, so you'll need access to a copy of the 6th edition for p-sets. (Same probably true of, e.g., 4th edition or international edition.)

Lecturer	Professor Haynes Miller (hrm@math.mit.edu, 3-7569)
Course Admin	Joel Lewis (jblewis@math.mit.edu, 3-4086)
Texts	(1) Elementary Differential Equations with Boundary Value Problems, Edwards and Penney, 6th edition. (2) 18.03: Differential Equations Notes and Exercises, available here. (3) Supplementary notes, available here. (Note: these are more up-to-date than the versions available on OCW.)
Lectures	Mon, Wed, Fri at 1:00 and 2:00 in room 10-250
Recitations	Tue and Thu. See Stellar for more information.
Course info	See this document (PDF). Course syllabus is available here (PDF).
Office Hours	Professor Miller -- Wed. 3:15-5:00 pm in room 2-237. Course admin -- by appointment. Recitation instructors -- see this page for information.
Final exam	The final exam for 18.03 will be Tuesday, May 22 from 9am to noon in the track.
Tutoring	Try the Math Learning Center MTWR 3-5 and 7:30-9:30.

18.03: Differential Equations (Spring 2012)

General information:

Handouts and other useful links:

Announcements: