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PrefacePreface

Our first goal is learning several methods of solving linear differential equations. (We will explain what linear means shortly.) While nonlinear differential equations are very common and very important we must drink milk before we can eat meat. However, we will study a few nonlinear differential equations in chapter 1 and again in chapter xx.

Our second goal will be to develop new language to describe why solutions to linear differential equations always follow a specific pattern. The conceptual framework or theory behind the solution methods is precisely that of Linear Algebra. Our goal is to make explicit the connection between solution methods for linear differential equations and the theory of Linear Algebra.