IDEA - Internet Differential Equations Activities

The latest addition to the IDEA software library comprises tools to plot functions and orbits of initial value problems using Macromedia Flash. These allow you to drag plotting components and tools to manipulate parameter values to the stage of a Flash movie, and build the content around those components. For more details go to the Mathematical Flash home page.

Two other software packages are being developed for use with the IDEA project. Both of these packages are currently in an early state of development. The date on which they were last changed is listed below. Note that the first posting of these packages occurred on Jan 3, 1997, and judge their state of development based on that. Please report all bugs to the developer, Kevin Cooper.

The first package is a Java code generator, that you may use to develop applets that may be placed in exercises that you develop. The code generator allows you to specify the characteristics of the applet you desire, writes the Java code, and compiles it on our machine. You are then offered a link to a page that shows the applet working. It is entirely Web-based.

Go to the Java Generator.

The second package is a more sophisticated graphics package for Microsoft Windows machines. It is called DynaSys. It is posted in a self-extracting compressed form (using PKZIP 2.5). The file is currently smaller than 1MB. DynaSys can perform the following tasks.

Two dimensional phase portraits;
Two-point boundary value problems;
Three dimensional phase portraits;
Two dimensional iterated maps and stair-step diagrams;
Text displays;

For more details, you may view the documentation.

DynaSys may be used in conjunction with IDEA. Simply configure your local web browser to associate a mime type application/dynasys with the dynasys.exe file (Netscape prompts you for this the first time you download a dynasys data file).

Download DynaSys version 1.0.

The third package is a demonstration of certain aspects of chaos, fractals and Julia sets, developed by C. J. Kentler. It examines the behavior of the logistic map, and shows how it becomes chaotic as µ increases. The package also includes java applets for bifurcation, and Julia sets.

Go to the Chaos Equations.

CODEE, the Consortium for Differential Equations Experiments, has been revitalized. CODEE was quite active in the 1990s in spreading differential equations activities, information, and software tools. In particular, CODEE formed the organization for the ODE Architect software. Recently, an NSF project headed by Darryl Young of Harvey Mudd College has reinvigorated CODEE.
New activities! There are two new activities concerning the Idaho plan for wolf management, and a model for an insurgency. See the project page for details.

Department of Mathematics

IDEA: Internet Differential Equations Activities