Ph.D. Qualifying Exam Description

Mathematics

Duration:  2 hours

Closed book / Closed Notes

Topics covered:

    Differential and integral calculus of one or more variables

    Vector algebra / vector calculus

    Ordinary differential equations and Laplace transforms

    Sequences and series

    Linear Algebra

Topics NOT covered:

    Partial differential equations

    Nonlinear differential equations

    Numerical methods (other than basic numerical differentiation and integration outlined in most calculus books)

  Suggested texts:

    Calculus -- "Calculus," by James Stewart; "Calculus and Analytical Geometry," by Edwards and Penney; or, similar text

     Differential Equations -- "Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems," by Boyce and DiPrima; or, similar text

    Linear Algebra -- "Elementary Linear Algebra," by Edwards and Penney; or, similar text

   Logistics of exam:

•     3-4 problems

•     Calculators allowed (no cell phones, Blackberries, etc.)