PDA

View Full Version : diff eq. and linear algebra concurrently and before calc III?

huskerwr38
Jul26-10, 11:08 PM
So my engineering program has me taking LA and Diff. Eq. in the same semester, after Calc II and before Calc III. I don't understand why that is....what would be the idea behind this?
gretun
Jul26-10, 11:18 PM
Do you mind I ask what is the name of your alma mater? I think LA and Diff.eq is doable, it may just be more difficult.
huskerwr38
Jul27-10, 10:13 AM
Yea, no problem it's University of Nebraska-Omaha. Here is a link to a sample of classes,
http://www.ceen.unomaha.edu/undergrad/pre-ee-xfer.php
jtbell
Jul27-10, 10:38 AM
Do they offer LA and DE only in the fall, and Calc III only in the spring? If so, I can only speculate that it might be done that way in order to distribute the teaching load properly among X number of faculty within the math department.

If they do offer Calc III in the fall and LA/DE in the spring, I don't see any reason why you couldn't switch those courses around.
gretun
Jul27-10, 11:59 AM
Yea, no problem it's University of Nebraska-Omaha. Here is a link to a sample of classes,
http://www.ceen.unomaha.edu/undergrad/pre-ee-xfer.php

Hey wait...why is Calc III after both LA and Diff...? I can understand for LA, but really for diff too?
TMM
Jul27-10, 12:19 PM
This makes sense to me. Linear algebra and differential equations are closely related, and the intuition you gain from that connection will help with the perhaps more confusing multivariate calculus.
Thermalne
Jul27-10, 02:11 PM
I really wish I could have taken Differential Equations and Linear Algebra at the same time. The classes fit very nicely together and it would have made learning calculus 3 much easier. I think depending on the school Differential is easier to take before because it uses very little Calculus 3 concepts. Only continuing courses uses more Calculus 3 in it.
eumyang
Jul27-10, 02:16 PM
Stanford's 50's sequence sort of integrate the topics of multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. (They are on a quarter system, and usually, 3 quarters = 2 semesters.) Math 51 covers some linear algebra and multivariable calc., Math 52 covers some more multivariable calc., and Math 53 covers some more linear algebra and diff. eq.

There are schools where you take multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations in two semester courses instead of three. Usually schools that do this will condense linear algebra & differential equations into a single, semester course, with multivariable calculus being the other semester course. Although in this format, (usually) multivariable calculus is taken before linear algebra + diff. eq.


69
huskerwr38
Jul27-10, 03:42 PM
Do they offer LA and DE only in the fall, and Calc III only in the spring? If so, I can only speculate that it might be done that way in order to distribute the teaching load properly among X number of faculty within the math department.

If they do offer Calc III in the fall and LA/DE in the spring, I don't see any reason why you couldn't switch those courses around.

No, they offer all of those classes both spring and fall semesters.


So most of you guys are saying this is should not be a problem? I guess I'll just go with it because that is what my schedule says and I'll talk with my adviser about it too.