Calculus I

CHAPTER18

Visualizing Differential Equations

In This Chapter

• Approximating function values with tangent lines
• Slope fields: functional fingerprints
• Using Euler’s Method to solve differential equations
• Drawing slope fields with a calculator

Our brief encounter with differential equations is almost at an end. Like ships passing in the night, we will soon go our separate ways, and all you’ll have left are the memories. Before you get too nostalgic, though, we have to discuss some slightly more complex differential equation topics.

We’ll start with linear approximation, which we actually could have discussed in Chapter 9, because it is basically ...