R. Kent Nagle (deceased) taught at the University of South Florida. He was a research mathematician and an accomplished author. His legacy is honored in part by the Nagle Lecture Series which promotes mathematics education and the impact of mathematics on society. He was a member of the American Mathematical Society for 21 years. Throughout his life, he imparted his love for mathematics to everyone, from students to colleagues. Edward B. Saff received his B.S. in applied mathematics from Georgia Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Maryland. After his tenure as Distinguished Research Professor at the University of South Florida, he joined the Vanderbilt University Mathematics Department faculty in 2001 as Professor and Director of the Center for Constructive Approximation. His research areas include approximation theory, numerical analysis, and potential theory. He has published more than 240 mathematical research articles, co-authored 9 books, and co-edited 11 volumes. Other recognitions of his research include his election as a Foreign Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (2013); and as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2013). He is particularly active on the international scene, serving as an advisor and NATO collaborator to a French research team at INRIA Sophia-Antipolis; a co-director of an Australian Research Council Discovery Award; an annual visiting research collaborator at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia; and as an organizer of a sequence of international research conferences that helps foster the careers of mathematicians from developing countries. Arthur David Snider has 50+ years of experience in modeling physical systems in the areas of heat transfer, electromagnetics, microwave circuits, and orbital mechanics, as well as the mathematical areas of numerical analysis, signal processing, differential equations, and optimization. He holds degrees in mathematics (BS, MIT; PhD, NYU) and physics (MA, Boston U), and is a registered professional engineer. He served 45 years on the faculties of mathematics, physics, and electrical engineering at the University of South Florida. He worked 5 years as a systems analyst at MIT's Draper Instrumentation Lab, and has consulted for General Electric, Honeywell, Raytheon, Texas, Instruments, Kollsman, E-Systems, Harris, and Intersil. He has authored nine textbooks and roughly 100 journal articles. Hobbies include bluegrass fiddle, acting, and handball.

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

1.2 Solutions and Initial Value Problems

1.3 Direction Fields

1.4 The Approximation Method of Euler

Chapter Summary

Technical Writing Exercises

Group Projects for Chapter 1

A. Taylor Series Method

B. Picard's Method

C. The Phase Line

2. First-Order Differential Equations

2.1 Introduction: Motion of a Falling Body

2.2 Separable Equations

2.3 Linear Equations

2.4 Exact Equations

2.5 Special Integrating Factors

2.6 Substitutions and Transformations

Chapter Summary

Review Problems

Technical Writing Exercises

Group Projects for Chapter 2

A. Oil Spill in a Canal

B. Differential Equations in Clinical Medicine

C. Torricelli's Law of Fluid Flow

D. The Snowplow Problem

E. Two Snowplows

F. Clairaut Equations and Singular Solutions

G. Multiple Solutions of a First-Order Initial Value Problem

H. Utility Functions and Risk Aversion

I. Designing a Solar Collector

J. Asymptotic Behavior of Solutions to Linear Equations

3. Mathematical Models and Numerical Methods Involving First Order Equations

3.1 Mathematical Modeling

3.2 Compartmental Analysis

3.3 Heating and Cooling of Buildings

3.4 Newtonian Mechanics

3.5 Electrical Circuits

3.6 Improved Euler's Method

3.7 Higher-Order Numerical Methods: Taylor and Runge-Kutta

Group Projects for Chapter 3

A. Dynamics of HIV Infection

B. Aquaculture

C. Curve of Pursuit

D. Aircraft Guidance in a Crosswind

E. Feedback and the Op Amp

F. Bang-Bang Controls

G. Market Equilibrium: Stability and Time Paths

H. Stability of Numerical Methods

I. Period Doubling and Chaos

4. Linear Second-Order Equations

4.1 Introduction: The Mass-Spring Oscillator

4.2 Homogeneous Linear Equations: The General Solution

4.3 Auxiliary Equations with Complex Roots

4.4 Nonhomogeneous Equations: The Method of Undetermined Coefficients

4.5 The Superposition Principle and Undetermined Coefficients Revisited

4.6 Variation of Parameters

4.7 Variable-Coefficient Equations

4.8 Qualitative Considerations for Variable-Coefficient and Nonlinear Equations

4.9 A Closer Look at Free Mechanical Vibrations

4.10 A Closer Look at Forced Mechanical Vibrations

Chapter Summary

Review Problems

Technical Writing Exercises

Group Projects for Chapter 4

A. Nonlinear Equations Solvable by First-Order Techniques

B. Apollo Reentry

C. Simple Pendulum

D. Linearization of Nonlinear Problems

E. Convolution Method

F. Undetermined Coefficients Using Complex Arithmetic

G. Asymptotic Behavior of Solutions

5. Introduction to Systems and Phase Plane Analysis

5.1 Interconnected Fluid Tanks

5.2 Elimination Method for Systems with Constant Coefficients

5.3 Solving Systems and Higher-Order Equations Numerically

5.4 Introduction to the Phase Plane

5.5 Applications to Biomathematics: Epidemic and Tumor Growth Models

5.6 Coupled Mass-Spring Systems

5.7 Electrical Systems

5.8 Dynamical Systems, Poincaré Maps, and Chaos

Chapter Summary

Review Problems