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Mathematics LibreTexts

2: Introduction to ODEs

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

A differential equation is an equation for a function that relates the values of the function to the values of its derivatives. An ordinary differential equation (ode) is a differential equation for a function of a single variable, e.g., x(t), while a partial differential equation (pde) is a differential equation for a function of several variables, e.g., v(x,y,z,t). An ode contains ordinary derivatives and a pde contains partial derivatives. Typically, pde’s are much harder to solve than ode’s.


This page titled 2: Introduction to ODEs is shared under a CC BY 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jeffrey R. Chasnov via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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