This unit of study is an introduction to the theory of systems of ordinary differential equations. Such systems model many types of phenomena in engineering, biology and the physical sciences. The emphasis will not be on finding explicit solutions, but instead on the qualitative features of these systems, such as stability, instability and oscillatory behaviour. The aim is to develop a good geometrical intuition into the behaviour of solutions to such systems. Some background in linear algebra, and familiarity with concepts such as limits and continuity, will be assumed. The applications in this unit are from biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering, including population dynamics, epidemics, chemical reactions, and simple mechanical systems.
Unit details and rules
Academic unit | Mathematics and Statistics Academic Operations |
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Credit points | 6 |
Prerequisites
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12 credit points of MATH2XXX units of study |
Corequisites
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None |
Prohibitions
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MATH3963 or MATH4063 |
Assumed knowledge
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MATH2061 or MATH2961 or [MATH2X21 and MATH2X22] |
Available to study abroad and exchange students | Yes |
Teaching staff
Coordinator | Nathan Duignan, nathan.duignan@sydney.edu.au |
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Lecturer(s) | Nathan Duignan, nathan.duignan@sydney.edu.au |