MATH 2500
Differential Equations
Introduction to ordinary differential equations: first-order equations, linear equations, systems of equations, series solutions, Laplace transform methods, numerical solutions. Prerequisite: Math 233 (or Math 233 concurrently).
Instructors
Donsub Rim, Joel Villatoro, Krantz, Mladen Wickerhauser, Rim, Song, Steven Krantz, Villatoro, Wickerhauser, Yanli Song
Reviews
2 or less hrs/week
Song can struggle a little bit with explaining things as I think there is a bit of a language barrier. However, I liked this class a lot. It was a very helpful course to show me the basics of differential equations, and it allowed me to understand upper level chemistry and physics course better.
2/27/2025
2-4 hrs/week
Differential Equations\' main flaw is that innovations in mathematics and engineering are not contingent upon the innovator\'s haste--they\'re contingent upon the innovator\'s creativity. A more suitable name for this course would be "Algebra Simulator 101: Differential Equations Edition." To be successful in this class, you need not attend every lecture, nor do you need to complete every optional practice set. To be successful, you must sharpen your algebra skills while maintaining speed--failing to do this will cook you. Full free-response solutions on exams require text wrapping; multiple-choice questions are loaded with tedious algebra plug-and-chugs. The exams will legitimately tickle your sanity. If you\'re majoring in engineering or physics, you are required to take this course. If you\'re like me and you believe that you have solid mathematical intuition and problem solving skills, throw your ego out the window for this class (and in life)--it won\'t help you. Instead, try developing something that WILL help you: SPEED.\n
12/13/2024
4-6 hrs/week
Good at explaining things, but lectures are very fast-paced and oftentimes it could be a struggle to copy things down from the board since no notes or lecture recordings are posted. Subsections are optional but great for getting more practice. The Canvas page could use a little more organization instead of having everything on a single page. 40% cumulative final is a little yikes but we'll see how that goes...
12/9/2024
His lectures were very fast and he barely went over details. He just wrote examples and never elaborated them. He stood in front of what he wrote, so it was hard to take notes during lectures. On the other hand, his exams were very easy, and the textbook for the class is very helpful. You could do well in the class just by reading the textbook.
8/25/2024
2 or less hrs/week
Went to the first class and didn't go back the rest of the semester. Do the practice exams and the webwork and you should do well. The practice exams are all very similar to the actual exam (except for exam 2)
5/24/2024
2 or less hrs/week
Pretty easy to get an a because Krantz gives you practice exams that are nearly identical to the exams. However, this makes the class a memorization exercise. Krantz only teaches to the 3 people in earshot and refuses to speak up or write bigger. Even if you are in the front, his teaching is unorganized and not particularly helpful. The concepts are cool, but if you want to actually learn you will need to put in a good amount of time outside class. If you don't want to learn, you don't have to and can get an A
5/19/2024
6-8 hrs/week
Lecture is fast paced but textbook is very good and aligns perfectly with content (the prof did write it after all). Webwork doesn’t align with content and is way harder. Practice exams have very similar structure to real exams so makes studying much more approachable.
5/19/2024
2-4 hrs/week
i found this class to be one of my favorite math classes but it is certainly hard and you need to put in the work. i ended up doing well though
5/18/2024
2 or less hrs/week
Took it with Krantz— unorganized but tests are relatively easy(except for the second exam be warned). Towards the ebd the concepts are super confusing. Dont take this as a “math” class, take this an a engineering mathematics technique course. Made harder by all the kiss ass mech E freshman
5/18/2024
His lectures go by stupidly fast and are pretty hard to pay attention in (so if your calculus is not very strong, you WILL suffer). If you can't keep up with his lectures, try to use the textbook-he wrote it, and his lectures tend to pretty much just be a copy of his textbook sections. However, his understanding of the content is second-to-none.
5/6/2024
Avoid taking any course with Krantz at all costs. He may be a great mathematician but a horrible teacher. You can cheese the exams really easily but don't expect to actually learn anything. Most days he ends class early, stands in front of the board, and writes extremely small. He doesn't care about his students at all.
12/15/2023
Krantz is passionate about differential equations and math as subject. He is generous when grading exams and homework, but that is unfortunately a necessity. Krantz's lectures are paced too quickly and he frequently stands in front of the bord he is writing on, not allowing to you so take notes until he's already moved on to the next section.
12/13/2023
The other reviews are spot on: he gets lost in his own lecture notes, sometimes leaves problems unsolved on the board, and massively underprepares you for the exams. That said, if you: 1) can self-study, and 2) can do the Webwork by yourself, the class is not that bad at all.
12/3/2023
Prof. Song really cares about making sure that every student in the lecture understands the content he goes over. 310 can get to be an abstract, confusing class at points but he always welcomed questions and answered them thoroughly, even if it took more time than he was expecting. There's really clear expectations and he wants everyone to do well.
11/28/2023
Professor Villatoro was okay. Too many mistakes in lectures though. One lecture he spent 30 minutes trying to correct a mistake he made - painful to watch (even 2x speed recorded lecture). Nice guy though. Bad jokes, not funny. Basically a student - saw him in the DUC eating a taco salad and riding a bike.
1/19/2023
This is by far the worst professor I have had in my life. There is incredibly high value on the exams with little knowledge of what will be on them. He makes exams harder if people "do too well" on previous exams in order to make the average lower. He approached teaching as a battle against his students, not for them. In short, he was a bully.
1/16/2023
Prof. Wickerhauser's lectures are full of challenges but very enjoyable. His way of teaching without slides let us focus on mathematics itself. Also, Prof. WIckerhauser is super helpful after class to answer students' questions.
12/9/2022
No lecture slides, bad handwriting. Often gets lost and checks his notes, then leaves it as an investigation for us to figure out. Provides good past exams and there is great overlap, which is a plus. Hope you are able to self teach from textbooks!
4/21/2022