Does anybody know of a good online or inprint way to learn the basics of differential equations? I'm taking the honors version of the introductory diff eq class and the focus is modeling problems instead of solving the equations themselves. It doesn't help that the book we're using is by our professor, and quite frankly, its worthless. Worthless as his lectures which are almost word-for-word identical to the text in the book. Yes, I've tried the office hours thing, and he does the problem, but doesn't give me any logic behind it, other than "cause that's what you do to solve it." So anyway, back to my inital question, what sources do you recommend for learning basic diff. eq.?

Thanks

Sorry, I don't know any good resources for you, I learned everything from my teachers. They were actually half-decent.

Here's a *BUMP* for you.

I don't know if you've used Mathematica yet in your other classes, but modeling the equations can sometimes help you understand what is happening. Otherwise, I am in Differential Equations myself. Though your class will probably be ahead of mine because you are in an honors section, pm me and I'll see if I can't explain some problems to you.

well we used a program called Maple at uni last semester, which I'm sure would be really helpful, but after fighting with the website for about half an hour, I'm still no wiser as to whether there's a useable free trial.
If you want some help just understanding diff. eqs, feel free to pm me.

you won't find a free version of maple out there on the internet....kazaa, well who knows....

as for modelling....don't really know of any book that will help, could rattle off a load of physics related uses for them but wouldn't really be able to make any up on the go....

best bet i can think of would probably be to pay a visit to your library, be suprised whats there sometimes, and grab a few basic physics books and maths books and go try to solve some of the questions in there,

physics wise they normally explain a little better what your doing and why....at least thats the impression i've got....

are you encouraging him to pirate software?! :p

course not , would I ever do I thing like that....

Teach yourself Calculus by Paul Abbott and Hugh Neill is a very useful little book. I'm not sure whether it's available in the US though.

Diff Eq sucks, my teacher cant teach worth for ****.

Ric, mavis, I might take you up on that.

I've used maple some for my calc courses, and we're supposed to eventually get to it for this semester, but of course, that's not for awhile. But don't worry, I've got access to it in the labs and may just pay the little fee for a personal copy.

The library catalog says they have that calc book in, we'll have to see.

And its definitely the modeling I'm having trouble with, and maybe for that, its just the terminology. I think I will PM ric or mavis once I get the rest of my work under control.

We had a problem due today and it was encouraging that it took half the class (14 in the class, from the 35 that were in it two weeks ago) about 3 hours to do it, and the person that got it in the end was somebody who already took it, so maybe I'm not that stupid...or we can hope.

I also hope I can live up to my new title :-P

Thanks!

You can get a Maple demo from Waterloo by filling in a form on their site. You will get a CD in the mail within a week or two.

But... I hear Kazaa has a better deal on it. Even if that mailed CD is free.