Thread: Study tips for the Final

Hi guys,

My Differential Equations final is tomorrow. My teacher says there will most likely be no homogeneous equations on it. Out of 9 questions we get to pick 7 of them. I know there will be one series equation solving for the first four terms, a spring question, a series circuit problem, a simultaneous equations problem, and a few initial value problems.

I studied for a couple of hours yesterday, and now I'm studying all day today. Does anyone have any tips for me? I was thinking about really focusing on Laplace transformations, and possibly attempting to use it for as many problems as I can - I enjoy that technique. Any suggestions on which problems I should skip?

I guess my biggest question is: How do I know which problem solving technique to use on a given problem? If it is a first ODE it should be cake, but what about second ODEs?

Thanks for the help guys!

Originally Posted by springwater

Hi guys,

My Differential Equations final is tomorrow. My teacher says there will most likely be no homogeneous equations on it. Out of 9 questions we get to pick 7 of them. I know there will be one series equation solving for the first four terms, a spring question, a series circuit problem, a simultaneous equations problem, and a few initial value problems.

I studied for a couple of hours yesterday, and now I'm studying all day today. Does anyone have any tips for me? I was thinking about really focusing on Laplace transformations, and possibly attempting to use it for as many problems as I can - I enjoy that technique. Any suggestions on which problems I should skip?

I guess my biggest question is: How do I know which problem solving technique to use on a given problem? If it is a first ODE it should be cake, but what about second ODEs?

Thanks for the help guys!

Go over your old test. Just because there isn't a homogeneous equation doesn't mean you won't have to solve one. The complement solution to non-homogeneous equation is solving a homogeneous equation.

Use the easiest method.

Originally Posted by springwater

Hi guys,

My Differential Equations final is tomorrow. My teacher says there will most likely be no homogeneous equations on it. Out of 9 questions we get to pick 7 of them. I know there will be one series equation solving for the first four terms, a spring question, a series circuit problem, a simultaneous equations problem, and a few initial value problems.

I studied for a couple of hours yesterday, and now I'm studying all day today. Does anyone have any tips for me? I was thinking about really focusing on Laplace transformations, and possibly attempting to use it for as many problems as I can - I enjoy that technique. Any suggestions on which problems I should skip?

I guess my biggest question is: How do I know which problem solving technique to use on a given problem? If it is a first ODE it should be cake, but what about second ODEs?

Thanks for the help guys!

You should memorize the forms and the associated tricks. I can solve a good number of ODEs but it's because i've memorized the tricks associated with particular forms. Do this and you'll be flying. The rest is just integral tricks.

Oh and if you have circuits go over heaviside functions/deltas.