MATH-2790 Differential Equations – Section 1

University of Windsor, Fall 2023

Instructor: Dr. Dennis Borisov

e-mail: dennis.borisov@uwindsor.ca
Office: 10-107 Lambton Tower

Office hours: M, W 12:00-1:00pm

Not in the Reading Week

Lectures & Tutorials: M, W 10:00-11:20am Erie Hall 3123,

F 10:30-11:20am Chrysler Hall North G133
The time slots for tutorials on Fridays
will be used sometimes for lectures as well.

Prerequisites
Integral calculus MATH-1730, and one of the Linear algebra courses: MATH-
1250, MATH-1260 or MATH-1270.

Textbook
Ordinary Differential Equations by Dennis G. Zill. This is a custom edition
for the University of Windsor, extracted from A first course in Differential
Equations with modeling applications 11th Edition, Nelson.
The textbook can be very useful, but is not absolutely necessary, as
complete lecture notes will be provided.

SPT (formerly SET)

The Student Perceptions of Teaching forms will be administered in the last
two weeks of classes.

Homework assignments
There will be HW assignments administered through Möbius. The links will
be posted weekly on the course homepage and will remain available until
the end of the course. Marks for the HW assignments will not be
part of the final grade calculation, however, all questions in the
midterms and the final exam will be randomized questions that
have appeared previously in HW assignments. There will be no limit
on the number of attempts at each HW assignment, each time a complete
solution will be immediately available.

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University of Windsor Differential Equations 2790 – Section 1 Dennis Borisov

Final grade determination

There will be 2 midterms: on October 25th and on November 22d . The
midterms will be administered in person at the usual time and place of the
lecture. The date of the final exam will be announced later in the term.
The questions in both midterms and in the final exam will be randomized
questions from Möbius, printed on paper. Each test will consist of questions
that have already appeared in HW assignments (with the coefficients ran-
domized). Therefore, it is important to regularly do the HW assignments,
comparing with the full solutions immediately provided.
The final grade for the course will be the following weighted average:
• 40% the final exam,
• 30% the first midterm,
• 30% the second midterm.
The following formula will be used: if M1 , M2 and F are the marks for
Midterm 1, Midterm 2 and the Final exam on the scales 0–30, 0–30 and
0–40 respectively, the final grade will be
   
3 3
F + max M1 , F + max M2 , F .
4 4
Notice that the marks for the midterms are used only if they are higher
(proportionally) than the mark for the final exam, otherwise their weight is
automatically transferred to the final exam. If any of the midterms is missed
for any reason, their weight will be automatically added to the weight of the
final exam in the calculation of the final grade. There is no need to provide
a certificate justifying a missed midterm.
If the final exam is missed for a valid and documented reason (for example
a medical issue or a mandated court appearance), a written evidence has to
be provided attesting to validity of the reason. In such a case a make-up exam
will be offered on the make-up exam date set by the department. Validity of
the reason is determined by the instructor according to university policies.
Each evaluation will be curved as follows: the difference between 100%
and the highest mark achieved in class will be computed and added to each
one in the class.

Closed book policy

All tests in this course are closed book.

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 University of Windsor Differential Equations 2790 – Section 1 Dennis Borisov

Course contents and schedule1

Sep 8 – Sep 13 Partial derivatives, classification of differential equations, solutions of
differential equations and initial value problems, the theorem on exis-
tence and uniqueness of solutions to initial value problems.

Sep 15 – Sep 20 Direction fields and integral curves. Autonomous equations, separable
equations. Linear ODE of first order, integrating factors.

Sep 22 – Sep 27 Exact ODE, integrating factors. Homogeneous equations, solutions by

substitutions.

Sep 29 – Oct 6 Higher order linear ODE and initial value problems, superposition prin-
ciple. Linear independence of functions, Wronskian, fundamental sets
of solutions, general and particular solutions.

Oct 9 – Oct 13 Reading week.

Oct 16 – Oct 20 Solving homogeneous linear ordinary differential equations with con-
stant coefficients.

Oct 23 – Oct 27 The method of undetermined coefficients to find particular solutions

of non-homogeneous linear equations.

October 25th Midterm 1.

Oct 30 – Nov 3 The method of variation of parameters.

Nov 6 – Nov 10 Reduction of order for second order linear ordinary differential equa-
tions. Cauchy–Euler equations.

Nov 13 – Nov 20 Solving systems of linear ordinary differential equations by elimination.

Some non-linear ordinary differential equations and their solutions by
substitution.

November 22d Midterm 2.

Nov 22 – Nov 29 Laplace transform – definitions, translation theorems.

Dec 1 – Dec 6 Laplace transform – convolution theorem.

1
This schedule is approximate. The order of topics is fixed, but timing can shift.

3
 Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Course Outline Companion

Refer to Important Academic Dates for the most current academic dates and information
September 4, 2023 Labour Day, University is closed

September 7, 2023 First Day of Classes

September 20, 2023 Academic Add/Drop date - Last day for late registration and change of courses.

October 4, 2023 Financial Drop Date. Full tuition refund drop date. Any courses dropped after this
date will be charged 100% of the base tuition charges (0% refund). It is also the
final date to Opt-out of incidental charges. After this date incidental charges
cannot be reversed.
October 7 – 15, 2023 Reading Week

October 9, 2023 Thanksgiving Day, University is closed.

October 15, 2023 Expected date for the announcement of the final examination schedule. It is your
responsibility to be available for the final examinations. Do not make travel plans
to leave Windsor until you have seen your final exam schedule. (Senate Bylaw 54)

October 31, 2023 Deadline to apply for an alternative exam date for (1) students unable to write
during the regularly scheduled time slot due to a conflict arising from a religious
observance and (2) students having three or more final examinations scheduled in
consecutive time slots over a 24-hour period or three or more final examinations
scheduled in one calendar day (See the first link on the last page for the form.)
(Senate Bylaw 54)

November 15, 2023 Last day to voluntarily withdraw (VW) from Fall 2023 classes.

December 6, 2023 Last Day of Fall 2023 Classes

December 9 – 20, 2023 Fall 2023 Final Examination Period.

December 21, 2023 Alternate Final Exam Day

December 23, 2022 - Jan University Offices Closed for December Holiday Recess
2, 2024
January 3, 2024 University Offices Open
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