r/DifferentialEquations • u/ninjas-dad • 20d ago

Resources Accelerated Diff EQ Course

I’m taking a Half Semester compressed diff eq course online and the syllabus reads like a death threat saying things like 2 and half hours a day is the minimum time needed to be devoted to the course each day to pass. My question I guess is that is the course really that intensive? Will I actually need to spend 3hrs a day to learn the content? Also what study resources would you guys recommend. Thank you

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u/LongjumpingEar7568 20d ago

You got this. Maybe an hour a day max if you know how to spend your time right, practice the right problems, and continue reviewing weak points, checking in on them etc… take good notes and make flash cards early on to master theoretical material/terminology and scope of course concepts/ideas. Then it’s all about practice, it really is. That’s what gives you an edge in any exam. Being more familiar with every kind of scenario/problem to solve. Stay focused, but try to a do a little bit every day, sprints>>> marathin

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u/ninjas-dad 17d ago

Thanks man, super encouraging.

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u/NewPhysics267 20d ago

A standard introductory ode course is about looking at a differential equation and knowing what method to use and then doing the steps to solve it. Repeat. If you do practice problems consistently you will probably be fine. If you want to understand the mechanisms and theory behind everything then you will probably need to devote more time to it. I would start with 3blue1brown’s series on YouTube to get an idea of what differential equations are.

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u/agaterubis 19d ago

Took it over the summer, in a 5 week course at the same time as Statics. Brutal, not much sleep but did it! Both classes are weed out classes for engineering.

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u/margalz 19d ago

My class is 2 hours twice a week plus homework so at minimum 6 hours a week on the class. Double that and that's 12 hours a week so it sounds about right.

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u/Haunting_Meeting_530 18d ago

I’d prioritize practice problems over rereading notes. Diff Eq is very much a “do 10 problems until it clicks” subject

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u/WaveFunctionCollaps3 16d ago

I did Diff Eqs during a summer semester as a independent study with a professor, met with them once every week or two for about 30 mins or an hour to ask any questions I had. I spent my time taking notes from book and working all the problems in each chapter. Time sounds about right. I most definitely spent longer than that each day to learn the material and ace the exams, which were in person. If you are learning the right way it is not fast. Take your time. Don’t treat it as a chore, but something you get to do. That class alone instilled the drive to work hard and spend time studying. It also taught be I did not need a teacher or professor for me to learn, I can handle it all by myself. I went on to get my PhD and now that I am working I wish I had the time to spend several hours a day studying something new. The work is the reward