Differential Equations

This is one of those rare texts that pioneers a new way of teaching a subject. It balances analytic, numeric, and graphical techniques. It emphasizes modeling, stresses qualitative theory throughout the course, uses technology significantly and consistently, presents linear and nonlinear systems in parallel, and includes an introduction to discrete models of dynamical systems. Throughout this text, technology is used as a tool for illustration, experimentation, and discovery. Using computer graphics as a tool, students investigate systems such as the Lorenz attractor, the double pendulum, and chaotic behavior in logistic models. Students will gain a greater conceptual understanding with this text's emphasis on interpretation, qualitative description, lab reports, and written explanations. This text grew out of the Boston University Differential Equations Project endowed in part by the National Science Foundation.