Calculus III & Differential Equations

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
4 replies · 8K views
offtheleft
Messages
130
Reaction score
1
Can both of these classes be taken concurrently? I'm not sure but I think, at my community college, Calculus III is a prerequisite to Differential Equations but, a few friends from Rutgers and TCNJ have taken Differential Eq's before Calc 3. I guess it's different everywhere and I'm just curious if anyone on here thinks I may have been deceived or that taking both classes concurrently is a probability.

I'd also like to ask, in conjunction to my original question, would a semester containing: Calculus III, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra and Analytic Physics, be too hard?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Calculus III and Linear Algebra would actually probably be quite interesting to take together.

I haven't taken Diff-EQ yet (Registered to take it this spring), nor have I taken Analytic Physics, so unfortunately I can't help you there.
 
I took Diff Eq before Calc 3 and did just fine. If you can do derivatives, integrals, and find the eigenvalues and determinant of a 2x2 matrix, then you're good for Diff Eq. They will probably start using multivariable functions without introducing them first, but if you're taking Calc 3 at the same time you'll be fine in that regard.

My school teaches basic linear algebra in Calc 2, so I learned how to find eigenvalues and determinants then. If linear algebra isn't a pre-req for Diff Eq at your school then I'm guessing that they'll teach you what you need to know in either Calc 3 or Diff Eq.
 
calc II is the prereq for linear algebra.