MATH 241 Differential Equations
Assignment 3
Due Monday, December 9, 2013
Each group of two or three students should submit one typed report from the group. This
report should be well-written, describing the problem, your group's solution, and any
pertinent intermediate steps required to obtain that solution. Include mathematical
equations and diagrams where relevant. Computations and graphs should be created using
your calculator or computer software. Your report should include screen shots of graphs,
where appropriate. List all group members' names on your report.
Select your own group of two or three students. Each student must be in exactly one
group. If you do not wish to create your own group, see me and I will form groups out of
those individuals who are not already in groups. Each group must submit a written list of
its members to me in class on Wednesday, November 13. By the end of the day on
November 13, I will form groups from any remaining students and notify those students
by email.
Select a project topic of interest to you. You could expand on an example of a
differential equation that you saw in another course. Look through our textbook
including the sections that we have not covered yet. There may be an exercise or
example that you can expand on. Search the Web for “differential equations” or
“dynamical systems” and an academic discipline in which you are interested. Search for
“differential equations project” for projects devised by other instructors or students. It
would be in your best interest to discuss your topic idea with me first, so that you don’t
try to take on too large or too small of a project. If after searching for a topic, you cannot
come up with anything, come talk to me and I will see if I can help. You must submit a
short paragraph describing your topic to me by Monday, November 18. Each group must
have a different topic, so if you want to get your choice, submit your topic earlier than
November 18.
The project should not be solely a report on work that has already been done. I want you
to also do some mathematical work yourself. For example, you may find a mathematical
model in the literature for which you can do a sensitivity analysis. Also, you must
specifically describe which parts of your project were your own original work. A
substantial portion of your write-up can be a report of work done by others, but some part
of mathematical development in the project must be your own work. You must cite your
sources.