Learning Differential Equations

Date: 7/15/96 at 1:42:27
From: Anonymous
Subject: Learning Differential Equations

Hello Dr. Math!

I want to learn all about differential equations, the kind used
in Einstein's theory of relativity.

I have a standard high-school math education (it was my best subject), 
and I even taught myself a *little* calculus my senior year, but I'm 
really rusty now :-)

What I'm looking for is books and internet resources that can gently 
introduce me to differential equations, and then go all the way up the 
hard stuff.

Thanks,
	Micah

Date: 7/29/96 at 13:44:18
From: Doctor Jerry
Subject: Re: Learning Differential Equations

The differential equations in mathematical physics are mostly partial 
differential equations. Because partial differential equations are to 
calculus of functions of several variables what ordinary differential 
equations are to calculus of functions of one variable, probably you 
will have to begin by learning more calculus.  

One way of doing this at relatively little cost is to look into the
Schaum's outline series of books. I think this series includes books 
on both calculus and differential equations.

There are several possibilities on the Internet. Here's one I found 
by doing a search with the keyword calculus.

  http://www.math.ohio-state.edu/~davis/cmremote.html   

This is a site offering learning at home via the Internet.  It is a 
serious course on calculus and differential equations.  It would 
require that you acquire the computer algebra system Mathematica, 
which was created by Stephan Wolfram, a mathematical physicist.

-Doctor Jerry,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/