Math 428. Partial Differential Equations

Instructor:

Jose Ramirez

Office: 587 Malott Hall
Phone : 255-4030
Email: ramirez@math.cornell.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 9:00-10:00 and Wednesdays 9:00-10:00

Teaching Assistant:

Gongfu Zhou

Email: gz19@cornell.edu
Office hours: Fridays 10:00-12:00 in Malott 218.

Text:

Walter A. Strauss, Partial Differential Equations: An Introduction. John Wiley and Sons, 1992.

Course description:

This is a first course in Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). Many of the phenomena currently studied by scientists are modeled by PDEs. The course will be centered around the equations used to study vibrations of solids and electromagnetic waves (wave equation), the diffusion of chemicals and heat (heat equation) and the stationary properties of electric fields and temperature distributions (Laplace's equation). Exact solutions will be given whenever feasible but emphasis will be given to qualitative properties of the solutions. Basic numerical methods of solving PDEs will be covered. The last part of the course will be reserved for the study of PDEs that model phenomena of special interest to the class.

http://www.math.cornell.edu/~ramirez/428/cal428.html

Homework:

Homework will be assigned for each section, and should be done daily at the same pace as the lectures. Homework will be handed in on Tuesdays. Assignments will be posted on the web site http://www.math.cornell.edu/~ramirez/428/hw428.html . The first assignment is due Tuesday, January 28. Late homework will not be accepted. The homework is the most important part of the course. No matter how well you think you understand the material presented in class, you won't really learn it until you do the problems. You are free to devise whatever strategy for learning the material suits you best. This may involve collaboration with other students. We believe, however, that most people will get the maximum benefit from the homework if they try hard to do all the problems themselves before consulting others. In any case, whatever you turn in should represent your own solution, expressed in your own words, even if this solution was arrived at with help from someone else. Remember, you are doing the homework in order to learn the material; don't try to defeat the purpose of it.

Exams:

There will be two preliminary exams and one final exam. The prelims will be held during regular lecture hours on Thursday February 20 and Tuesday April 1. The final exam is scheduled to be held on Thursday May 15 from 3 pm to 5:30 pm. The room for the final exam is Malott 203.

The take-home part of the final exam is here.

Grade:

The grade will be based on the homework (20%), preliminary exams (20% each) and final (40%).