Instructor:   Dr. Tim Howard
Office:         224 Faculty Office Building
Phone:         706-568-2172
Email:          thoward@colstate.edu
Web site:     http://math.colstate.edu/thoward/Math3107/
Office Hours:  Please find my office hours listed on my web site at http://math.colstate.edu/thoward/spring2003-schedule.html .

Text.  Differential Equations, Second Edition, by Blanchard, Devaney, and Hall (published by Brooks/Cole).

Text sections to be covered.  Text material tentatively scheduled to be covered includes the following sections: 1.1-1.6, 1.8, 2.1-2.3, 3.1-3.6, 4.1-4.4, 5.1-5.2, and 6.1-6.5.  Other material will be introduced at the discretion of the instructor.  

Prerequisites.  Calculus with Analytic Geometry 2 (Math 1132) and Introduction to Linear Algebra (Math 2115).

Calculators and diskette.  You must have a scientific or graphing calculator for this course and a 3.5 inch diskette.

Grading.

     Course grades will be based on homework assignments, tests, and a comprehensive final exam according to the following weights:
 

To receive an "A" or a "B" for a course grade, the student must earn a passing grade in each separate category listed in the above table.  Letter grades will be based upon the following percent ranges:

    A:  90-100%        B:  80-89%        C:  70-79%        D:  60-69%
 

Homework Assignments.

     Two kinds of homework problems will be assigned:  practice problems and graded problems.  Practice problems won't ordinarily be collected for a grade; they are designed to help you assess your abilities prior to taking the tests.  However, I reserve the option of occasionally collecting practice problems for a grade.
     Graded assignments will be posted on the course web site, along with their due dates.  Graded homework submissions must be legible, neat, and organized.  If a student submits an assignment that is not, I may require that it be re-written and deduct points as a penalty for late submission.  Homework that is submitted after the deadline will be subject to a late penalty of 10% of the maximum number of points per week day.  Once a graded homework set has been returned, late homework from that set will no longer be accepted.
     Some of the homework assignments will require use of the computer algebra system Maple, which is available for student use on campus in the Woodall Hall computer labs and the mathematics computing lab in Arnold Hall (room 204).  Some assistance in the use of the software will be available in the mathematics computer lab; see the hours of operation posted on the lab door for more information.

Tests.

     Four tests will be given on the dates listed below.  No makeup tests will be given; please refer to the absentee policy below for more information.  Each student is responsible for frequently checking the announcements listed on the course web site ( http://math.colstate.edu/thoward/Math3107/ ) for updates. Also please note for test days: students arriving to class after some tests have already been submitted will not be permitted to take the test and a zero will be assigned for the test grade.

Final Exam.

     The final exam will be comprehensive and is required of all students.  Expect the problems to resemble assigned homework exercises or test problems.  The date and time are listed below.

Graded Papers.

     Students' papers and final exams will be archived until the midpoint of the next semester.  At that time, any papers not picked up by the student will be discarded. 

Noteworthy Dates

Mon., Jan. 20 -- holiday:  Martin Luther King.  No classes.
Mon., Jan. 27 -- Test 1
Mon., Feb. 17 -- Test 2
Thurs., Feb. 27 -- Semester midpoint
Fri., March 7 -- Test 3
March 24-28 -- Spring Break, no classes
Fri., April 4 -- Test 4
Thurs., May 1 -- Final exam, 8-10 a.m.

     Any modifications to the course policies and/or course syllabus will be announced on the course web page.  You are expected to check the web page at least once per week.  If you miss a class day, you should take special care to check the course web page and check with me as soon as possible  in case you missed an assignment or an announcement.

Absentee Policy.

     This is a 3000 level course.  While you are expected to attend every course meeting and to participate in the discussions, I should not have to police attendance.  If it so happens that you have missed six or more class meetings, you may be dropped from the course roll and assigned a grade of "WF".

Academic Withdrawal.  

Any course dropped after January 9 becomes a part of your academic record.  From that date until mid term (February 27) a grade of "W" will be assigned for completed withdrawal requests received by the Registrar.  A grade of "WF" will be assigned for withdrawal requests received after mid term.  The student is responsible for completing the withdrawal form through ISIS and submitting it.

Respectful Conduct

     I intend to treat all student with respect and fairness.  Since I expect the same respect, please observe the following policies:
 

Arriving late for class.  Late class arrivals are disruptive and inconsiderate; moreover, they may be regarded as absences.  Students who frequently arrive late may be asked not to return to class.  Please set your alarm clock appropriately and get up when it goes off.

Pagers and cell phones.  Use of cell phones in the class room will not be permitted; you may not bring one into the classroom unless the ringer is turned OFF.  If you carry a pager, it must be set on silent mode or left outside of the classroom.  Students in violation of this policy may be asked not to return to class.

     Cheating and plagiarism are serious offenses and will not be tolerated.  Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's work as your own (this someone may be another student, a tutor, a member of the faculty, or an author).  Any student caught cheating or committing plagiarism will be subject to disciplinary action.  Disciplinary actions will include the assignment of an "F" for the course grade and other actions consistent with the policies of the university.

Students with Disabilities:  

     If you have a documented disability as described by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 933-112 Section 504) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and would like to request academic and/or physical accommodations please contact Joy Norman at the Office of Disability Services in the Center for Academic Support and Student Retention, Tucker Hall (706) 568-2330, as soon as possible. Course requirements will not be waived but reasonable accommodations may be provided as appropriate.