APM 2555:

Introduction to Differential Equations with Matrix Algebra

Winter 2021

Instructor: Scott Binski Email: binski@oakland.edu

Office Hours: M 4 PM – 5 PM Schedule: MWF 1:20 PM – 2:27 PM
W 11 AM – 12 PM

Textbook
Differential Equations and Linear Algebra, by Edwards, Henry, and Penney. Pearson Prentice Hall,
4th Edition.

Course Description
An introduction to ordinary differential equations, Laplace transforms, linear systems, matrices,
independence, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and applications. This course replaces APM 2557. A stu-
dent cannot receive credit for both APM 2555 and APM 2557.

Prerequisites
A grade of C (2.0) or higher in MTH 1555 or an equivalent course at another accredited insti-
tution. In order to succeed in this course, you need to have mastered the basic differentiation and
integration techniques taught in one year of calculus. Theory and proof play a larger role in this
course than in 1000-level courses.

Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this course, students will:

• be able to apply techniques for solving certain differential equations;

• be familiar with mathematical models that employ differential equations;

• be able to analyze solutions using the necessary linear algebra;
• gain critical thinking skills necessary for solving and modeling differential equations.

Class Meetings
• Attendance at every class is required. Attendance will be taken for part of your
grade.

• The course will run via Zoom sessions

– Please make sure you have a webcam and that you keep it on during lectures. Please
remember to mute your microphone upon entering class.
– If Zoom crashes repeatedly, then we will switch over to Google Meet. I will provide the
backup link prior to class.
– If neither platform works on a particular day, I will email the class regarding an alternative
format, which may be a recorded lecture.
Office Hours
Available Mondays from 4 PM – 5 PM, Wednesdays from 11 AM – 12 PM, or by appointment.
Exams
There will be three midterm exams scheduled for February 1st , March 8th , and April 5th . These
exams are closed book, closed note exams. Each exam contributes 100 points toward your overall
grade for the course.

Final Exam
The final exam is comprehensive. It is scheduled for Monday, April 26th from 3:30 – 6:30 PM.
This is a closed book, closed note exam. It contributes 200 points toward your overall grade for the
course.

Homework
Homework will be assigned weekly and collected (uploaded on Moodle). Each assignment must
be uploaded on Moodle as a single PDF file (you may create PDF files using a free app such as Ge-
nius Scan). Each assignment will be graded out of 10 points, for accuracy of 2 – 3 specific problems
from the assignment. Your homework average will be scaled to contribute 80 points toward your
overall grade for the course.

Attendance
Attendance will be taken for each class meeting. Your attendance will contribute 20 points to-
ward your overall grade for the course.

Grade Assessment
Exam 1 Covers Ch. 1 – 2 100 pt
Exam 2 Covers Ch. 2 – 3 100 pt
Exam 3 Covers Ch. 4 – 5 100 pt
Final Exam Covers Ch. 1 – 5, 10 200 pt
Homework Assigned weekly 80 pt
Attendance Taken daily 20 pt
Total 600 pt

Exam Procedure
Exams will be administered on Zoom. The exam will be available to download on Moodle fif-
teen minutes prior to the start of class. You may either print the exam or open it on your computer.
While taking the exam, you must position your webcam several feet away from you, so that you and
your entire workspace is visible. Upon completion, you must submit your exam on Moodle, just as
you submit homework assignments, as a single PDF file.

Make-Up Policy
If you must miss an exam and have a valid documented excuse, you must contact your instruc-
tor as soon as reasonably possible. When feasible, schedule to take the exam at a time prior
to the original exam date. If the instructor deems that it is excused, then you will either be
given a makeup exam or your final exam will be used to calculate the score of the excused exam;
otherwise, the missed exam will count as a 0. Missed exams are not automatically excused.

Calculator Policy
You may use a calculator on all homework assignments. However, to receive full credit on ex-
ams, you are required to show all of the mathematical work necessary for setting up a calculation
before using the calculator, if one is permitted. Your instructor will announce whether or not a
calculator is permitted on each exam. In any case, using a calculator to store formulas for an exam
is not permitted.
Tutoring
Free virtual tutoring is available through the university’s Tutoring Center.

Disability Support Services

Any student who anticipates physical or academic barriers based on the impact of a disability
should contact Disability Support Services at DSS@oakland.edu or (248) 370-3266 at the earliest
opportunity. Please return a copy of any accommodation memos provided by DSS within the first
week of class.

Veteran Support Services

The Office of Veteran Support Services (VSS) is the campus office responsible for supporting student
veterans and military families. Through VSS, veterans and their dependent scan be connected to
campus and community resources to help ensure that are receiving the benefits they have earned.
Student veterans and military dependents who wish to learn more about the services afforded to
them should contact VSS at VSS@oakland.edu or (248) 370-2010.

Academic Honesty
Cheating is a serious academic crime. Oakland University policy requires that all suspected in-
stances of cheating be reported to the Dean of Students Office for possible adjudication by the
Academic Conduct Committee. Anyone found guilty of cheating in this course by the Academic
Conduct Committee will receive a grade of 0.0, in addition to any penalty assigned by the Academic
Conduct Committee. Working with others on a homework assignment does not constitute cheating.
Handing in an assignment that has essentially been copied from someone else or from a solution
manual does. Receiving help from someone else or from unauthorized written material during an
exam is cheating, as is using a physical or electronic cheat sheet.

Emergency Closing
If the University is closed at the time of a scheduled exam, it will be given during the next class
period when the University reopens. Closures during the final exam period require rescheduling by
the Registrar. The Oakland University emergency closing number is (248) 370-2000.
 Tentative Schedule

Monday Wednesday Friday

Jan 4th 6th 1 8th 2
Preliminaries, §1.1 §1.1

11th 3 13th 4 15th 5

§1.2 §1.4 §1.4

18th 20th 6 22nd 7

Martin Luther King Jr. §1.5 §1.5
Day - No class
25th 8 27th 9 29th 10
§2.1 §2.2 Review

Feb 1st 11 3rd 12 5th 13

Exam 1 §2.3 §2.3

8th 14 10th 15 12th 16

§3.1 §3.2 §3.2

15th 17 17th 18 19th 19

§3.3 §3.4 §3.5

22nd 24th 26th

Winter Recess Winter Recess Winter Recess

Mar 1st 20 3rd 21 5th 22

§3.5 §3.6 Review

8th 23 10th 24 12th 25

Exam 2 §4.1 §4.2

15th 26 17th 27 19th 28

§4.3 §4.4 §5.1

22nd 29 24th 30 26th 31

§5.2 §5.3 §5.4

29th 32 31st 33 Apr 2nd 34

§5.5 §5.6 Review
5th 35 7th 36 9th 37
Exam 3 §10.1 §10.2

12th 38 14th 39 16th 40

§10.3 §10.5 Review

19th 41 21st 23rd

Review

26th 28th 30th

Final Exam
3:30 – 6:30