Get inspired:

Glance at this Wikipedia article discussing the history and importance of rockets for defense, scientific research, space exploration, rescue, sport, and more. Differential equations -- and in particular, the basic understanding of the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration -- have been, and continue to be, instrumental in the design of rockets.

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Distinguish between algebraic equations and differential equations.
• Determine the in/dependent variables in a differential equation.
• Give examples of phenomena modeled by differential equations.
• Translate verbal descriptions of change into differential equations, and vice versa.
• Solve directly integrable initial value problems.
• Explain and use the relationship between position, velocity, and acceleration.

Before class:

• Read Polking, Boggess and Arnold, Chapter 1.
• Watch pencasts (linked above).
• Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
• Participate in online community.

In class:

• Conduct discussion, Q&A.
• Work on this activity (key).

After class:

• Do these problems.