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ERIC Number: EJ1152179
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0020-739X
EISSN: N/A
Improved Pedagogy for Linear Differential Equations by Reconsidering How We Measure the Size of Solutions
Tisdell, Christopher C.
International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, v48 n7 p1087-1095 2017
For over 50 years, the learning of teaching of "a priori" bounds on solutions to linear differential equations has involved a Euclidean approach to measuring the size of a solution. While the Euclidean approach to "a priori" bounds on solutions is somewhat manageable in the learning and teaching of the proofs involving second-order, linear problems with constant co-efficients, we believe it is not pedagogically optimal. Moreover, the Euclidean method becomes pedagogically unwieldy in the proofs involving higher-order cases. The purpose of this work is to propose a simpler pedagogical approach to establish "a priori" bounds on solutions by considering a different way of measuring the size of a solution to linear problems, which we refer to as the Uber size. The Uber form enables a simplification of pedagogy from the literature and the ideas are accessible to learners who have an understanding of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus and the exponential function, both usually seen in a first course in calculus. We believe that this work will be of mathematical and pedagogical interest to those who are learning and teaching in the area of differential equations or in any of the numerous disciplines where linear differential equations are used.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A