Comparing Judson’s and Lebl’s books

Most of what we’ll be discussing is also covered in Judson’s Ordinary Differential Equations Project (Jan 11 2019 edition), and you might find it helpful to look at it from time to time.

Here are some specific reasons why you might want to look at Judson’s book.

Here are some things you should be wary of (mostly involving later topics).

Here is a table summarizing equivalent sections.

Topic Lebl Judson
Slope fields 1.2 1.3 through 1.3.4
Euler’s method 1.7 1.4
Separable equations 1.3 1.2
Linear equations 1.4 1.5
Autonomous equations 1.6 1.3.5
Systems 2.1, 3.1, 3.3 2.1, 2.2
Eigenvalue method: Complete real eigenvalues 2.2 up through theorem 2.2.1(i), 3.4.2, 3.5 (cases 1 through 3) 3.2, 3.3, 3.6.3, 3.8 up through example 3.8.4, parts of chapter 4
Eigenvalue method: Complete complex eigenvalues 2.2 up through theorem 2.2.1(i), 3.4.2, 3.5 (cases 1 through 3) 3.4, 3.6.4, 3.8 starting from example 3.8.6, parts of chapter 4
Eigenvalue method: Defective eigenvalues 3.7, finish off 2.2 (specifically, theorem 2.2.1(ii) and example 2.2.1) 3.5, 3.6.5, 3.9.2, parts of chapter 4
Matrix exponential 3.8 3.9 through 3.9.1
Non-homogeneous linear ODEs of order 2 2.5 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
Non-homogeneous linear systems 3.9 Not covered