Date of Award

2010

Degree Name

Mathematics

College

College of Science

Type of Degree

M.A.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Bonita A. Lawrence

Second Advisor

John Drost

Third Advisor

Basant Karna

Abstract

In this work, I will provide an introduction to the di erential analyzer, a machine designed to solve di erential equations through a process called mechanical integration. I will give a brief historical account of di erential analyzers of the past, and discuss the Marshall University Di erential Analyzer Project. The goal of this work is to provide an analysis of solutions of systems of di erential equations using a di erential analyzer. In particular, we are interested in the points at which these systems are in equilibrium and the behavior of solutions that start away from equilibrium. After giving a description of linear systems of autonomous di erential equations and the traditional analytical method for finding a solution, I will run some of these systems on the di erential analyzer. With this visual approach, we look at the behavior of the rates of change to study the equilibrium solutions. I want to give a mechanical description of the relationship between the equations of the system.

Subject(s)

Differential equations.

Differential analyzers.

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