Professor: Dafermos Course format: Lecture Number of respondents: 24 Total Enrollment: 34 Class Composition: Froshs: 1 Sophs: 25 Jrs: 6 Srs: 1 Concs: 10 Non-Concs: 12 Don't Know: 0

Instructor Average: 1.82 Course Average: 1.83

Applied Math 36 is a continuation of Applied Math 35 and focuses on a thorough development of the 'Methods of Applied Mathematics'. The emphasis seems to be placed on the solution and application of differential equations. This course is recommended for science majors and lists MA10 as a prerequisite. Some students also suggested that a background in linear algebra would be an advantage.

Professor Dafermos generally received good reviews. Most of the class thought that he was a clear and thoughtful lecturer. His application of the material to real life examples and his great sense of humour were among the reasons he received such praise. However, the majority also agreed that he went too fast over the material. Some also thought that he gave too few examples in class. In general, however, Professor Dafermos was considered a very thorough and good lecturer.

Students devoted about seven hours per week outside of class, putting in a moderate to large effort. There were two midterms, one final, one programming project and a problem set assigned each week. There was a unanimous comment that the homework was overly long and tedious. However, proper completion of this part of the course was found to be necessary for one to do well. The midterms were more reasonable and were considered a fair assessment. Some students also had gripes with the text stating that a better one could be found.

In short, AM 36 is an Honors level course that uses a developmental and more rigorous approach to teaching differential equations. It is a good choice for those who want a solid foundation for further work in Applied Mathematics. So if Professor Dafermos is teaching, and you are willing to devote lots of time, AM36 will certainly be worth your while.

View AM/0036 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.