Author of Differential Equations For Dummies eBook

Steven Holzner is an award-winning author of science, math, and technical books. He got his training in differential equations at MIT and at Cornell University, where he got his Ph.D.

He has been on the faculty at both MIT and Cornell University and has written such bestsellers as Physics For Dummies and Physics Workbook For Dummies.

Differential Equations Contents

Part I: Focusing on First Order Differential Equations

• Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of Differential Equations
• Chapter 2: Looking at Linear First Order Differential Equations
• Chapter 3: Sorting Out Separable First Order Differential Equations
• Chapter 4: Exploring Exact First Order Differential Equations and Euler’s Method

Part II: Surveying Second and Higher-Order Differential Equations

• Chapter 5: Examining Second Order Linear Homogeneous
• Chapter 6: Studying Second Order Linear Nonhomogeneous
• Chapter 7: Handling Higher-Order Linear Homogeneous Differential
• Chapter 8: Taking On Higher-Order Linear Nonhomogeneous

Part III: The Power Stuff: Advanced Techniques

• Chapter 9: Getting Serious with Power Series and Ordinary Points
• Chapter 10: Powering through Singular Points
• Chapter 11: Working with Laplace Transforms 
• Chapter 12: Tackling Systems of First Order Linear Differential Equations
• Chapter 13: Discovering Three Fail-Proof Numerical Methods3

Part IV: The Part of Tens

• Chapter 14: Ten Super-Helpful Online Differential Equation Tutorials
• Chapter 15: Ten Really Cool Online Differential Equation Solving Tools

Introduction to Differential Equations For Dummies PDF

For too many people who study differential equations, their only exposure to this amazingly rich and rewarding field of mathematics is through a textbook that lands with an 800-page whump on their desk.

And what follows is a weary struggle as the reader tries to scale the impenetrable fortress of the massive tome. Has no one ever thought to write a book on differential equations from the reader’s point of view? Yes, indeed that’s where this book comes in.

About Differential Equations For Dummies eBook

Differential Equations For Dummies is all about differential equations from your point of view. I’ve watched many people struggle with differential equations the standard way, and most of them share one common feeling: Confusion as to what they did to deserve such torture.

This book is different; rather than being written from the professor’s point of view, it has been written from the reader’s point of view. This book was designed to be crammed full of good stuff, and only the good stuff.

No extra filler has been added, and that means the issues aren’t clouded. In this book, you discover ways that professors and instructors make solving problems simply.

You can leaf through this book as you like. In other words, it isn’t important that you read it from beginning to end.

Like other For Dummies books, this one has been designed to let you skip around as much as possible this is your book, and now differential equations are your oyster. 

What You’re Not to Read

Throughout this book, I share bits of information that may be interesting to you but not crucial to your understanding of an aspect of differential equations.

You’ll see this information either placed in a sidebar (a shaded gray box) or marked with a Technical Stuff icon. I won’t be offended if you skip any of this text really!

How Differential Equations For Dummies PDF Book Is Organized

Part I: Focusing on First Order Differential Equations

I start this book with first-order differential equations — that is, differential equations that involve derivatives to the first power.

You see how to work with linear first-order differential equations (linear means that the derivatives aren’t squared, cubed, or anything like that).

You also discover how to work with separable first-order differential equations, which can be separated so that only terms in y appear on one side, and only terms in x (and constants) appear on the other.

And, finally, in this part, you figure out how to handle exact differential equations. With this type of equation, you try to find a function whose partial derivatives correspond to the terms in a differential equation (which makes solving the equation much easier).

Part II: Surveying Second and Higher-Order Differential Equations

In this part, I take things to a whole new level as I show you how to deal with second-order and higher-order differential equations.

I divide equations into two main types: linear homogeneous equations and linear nonhomogeneous equations.

You also find out that a whole new array of dazzling techniques can be used here, such as the method of undetermined coefficients and the method of variation of parameters.

Part III: The Power Stuff: Advanced Techniques

Some differential equations are tougher than others, and in this part, I bring out the big guns. You see heavy-duty techniques like Laplace transforms and series solutions, and you start working with systems of differential equations.

You also figure out how to use numerical methods to solve differential equations. These are methods of last resort, but they rarely fail.

Part IV: The Part of Tens

You see the Part of Tens in all For Dummies books. This part is made up of fast-paced lists of ten items each; in this book, you find ten online differential equation tutorials and ten top online tools for solving differential equations.

Download Differential Equations For Dummies by Steven Holzner in PDF Format For Free.