Beat: ODE and Dynamics (plus: pick Quicksilvre\'s fate!!)
 

Okay guys, I'm going to be up front with you: school is sucking big time. I just started by junior year in college and my head already asplode. I won't go into too much detail, but it's a combination of poor health and taking three upper-level math courses simultaneously. Two of those courses (Analysis and Linear Algebra) are ones that I think I'll be able to soldier on through with the proper application. I think I ought to do okay in Intro to Theoretical Physics as well.

However, I am absolutely taking it up the butt when it comes to ODEs and Dynamical Systems. The professor's notes are completely incomprehensible. The textbook is incomprehensible. The teacher himself, a gentleman from Russia with a thick accent and a stutter, is incomprehensible. My own notes are incomprehensible. For all intents and purposes it looks to be a direct ticket to the funny farm.

BUT--there is another way.

My college allows students to enter a class up to two weeks after class starts (until 9/7 in this case). There is a Foundation of Applied Math class that fits nicely into my schedule. I already have the appropriate prerequisite. From the catalog:

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Mathematical formulation of models for various processes. Derivation of relevant differential equations from conservation laws and constitutive relations. Use of dimensional analysis, scaling, and elementary permutation methods. Description of basic wave motion. Examples from biology, elasticity, fluid dynamics, particle mechanics, chemistry, geophysics, and finance.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's no guarantee I would be able to get in at this point (it could be full) but if I can, do I dump ODEDS and go for this one instead?

Re: Beat: ODE and Dynamics (plus: pick Quicksilvre\'s fate!!)
 

If the ODE book is really that terrible try to find another to help you. ODEs are pretty easy to get a hang of.

Re: Beat: ODE and Dynamics (plus: pick Quicksilvre\'s fate!!)
 

I did ODEs last year and didn't enjoy the classes too much but I did very well in my exam so I can't complain.

We used 'differential equations with applications and historical notes' by George F. Simmons, it's easy to follow and, since my notes weren't great, I used the book to review instead.

Hated mathematical analysis and linear algebra btw.