TEACHING ASSISTANTS: Kevin Dilks (dilks003@umn.edu), Xu Wang (wang1591@umn.edu), and Ning Wei (weixx170@umn.edu}
TA OFFICE HOURS:
Kevin Dilks: Mon, Wed 2:30-3:25 (Vincent Hall 526)
Xu Wang: Tues, Thurs 12:00-1:00 pm (Vincent Hall 556)
Ning Wei: Thurs 1:30-3:30, 3:30-5:30 (Vincent Hall 522)
TEXT: Edwards and Penney, DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS AND LINEAR ALGEBRA (3rd edition).
COURSE SYLLABUS: Available here.
COURSE MEETING TIME: MWF 10:10 - 11:00 in Rapson Hall 100.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course consists of two related parts, linear algebra (matrices, determinants, vector spaces, eigenvalues, diagonalization) and ordinary differential equations (linear equations, Wronskian, solutions by eigenvalues and eigenvectors). We will cover almost all of Chapters 1-7, and Chapter 10 of the book.
TENTATIVE LECTURE AND HOMEWORK SCHEDULE: Homework will be assigned in class every day and the assignment will be posted on the course webpage. Homework will not be collected and graded. Yet doing homework is absolutely indispensable for success in the course. Problems on quizzes and exams will be very similar to the homework problems. A list of lecture topics (subject to change) and homework is available here.
QUIZZES: A quiz will be given every Tuesday (except for the first and last week). It will be based on the homework assigned during the preceding week. You cannot make up a quiz. The two lowest quiz scores will be dropped. The quizzes are handled exclusively by your TA's.
GRADING POLICY: Grades will be based on quizzes, three midterm
exams, and a comprehensive final exam, contributing as follows:
| 10 quizzes | 3 midterms | final exam | total | |
| percentage of grade |
25% | 45% (15% each) |
30% | 100% |
If
your cumulative score is at least 90% you are
guaranteed
an A, if your score is at least 75% you are guaranteed a
B-,
and if your score is at least 60% you are guaranteed a C- for the
class. In addition, if your score in the final exam is at least
90%,
you are also guaranteed an A for the class.
MISSED EXAMS POLICY: Missing an exam is permitted only for very serious and unavoidable extenuating circumstances, and only if you notify me (NOT your TA!) in advance. In all cases of absence from exams a written excuse is required. Otherwise you will get a score of 0 on the exam. Even if you are excused from taking a midterm exam, you will not be given a make-up. Instead, the following procedure will apply: at the end of the semester, two grades will be computed for a student who missed a midterm, and the highest of the two grades will be the one awarded for the class; the first grade will be determined by giving appropriate extra weights to the other midterm exams, while the second grade will be determined by giving extra weight to the final exam. Except in truly exceptional situations, a student who misses the final exam will fail the course. There will be no make-ups for missed quizzes.
INCOMPLETES: These will be given only in extraordinary circumstances, and are at my latitude. More precisely, I will consider giving you an incomplete if you have successfully completed all but a small portion of the work of the course and some severe, unexpected event prevents you from completing the course. This means that you must have taken the 2 midterms and must be doing work at the C level or better. You will have to sign a contract detailing what you have to do to complete the course. I will not give you an incomplete simply because you are behind in your work; in the latter case you should try to drop the course.
S/N GRADE: If you are registered S/N, I will submit a grade of S if your letter grade is C or above, and otherwise a grade of N.
CALCULATORS/CELL PHONES: All quizzes and exams are closed book and closed notes, but a basic scientific calculator will be allowed. These are calculators that can evaluate trigonometric, exponential, or logarithmic functions. Graphing calculators or calculators that can do symbolic manipulations will not be allowed during exams and quizzes. As a courtesy to me and your fellow students, please turn your cell phone off before class starts. The use of your cellphone as a calculator on quizzes and exams is also prohibited.
ATTENDANCE: Attendance will not be taken into account towards the final grade for this class, however it is very highly recommended. You are responsible for all material covered in class and all assignments. Experience shows that poor attendance most often results in a poor grade.
STUDY RESOURCES/TUTORING: Additional study resources and info about tutoring through the SMART Learning Commons are available here .
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Disability Services promotes access and equity for everyone at the U of M. If you are registered with DS and require accommodations or services, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. If you require accommodations, but are not registered with DS, please contact their office.
DROP DATES: The last day to drop the course without permission is March 15; if you drop the course on or before February 4, no mention of this course will appear on your transcripts. Otherwise, you will receive a "W" for the course.
SCHOLASTIC MISCONDUCT: You must do your own work on all quizzes and exams. Academic dishonesty in any work for this course will be grounds for awarding a grade of ``F'' for the entire course.