For students with three semesters of calculus, this book is self-contained. In particular, Section 1.1 contains a complete treatment of the relevant types of ordinary differential equations. No previous course in ordinary differential equations or linear algebra is necessary.

There are approximately 280 examples worked out in detail, and 600 exercises ranging from routine to challenging. Answers to selected problems appear in the back of the book. Rigorous proofs, of nearly all results used, are given after ample physical motivation.

The book documents extensive applications, including: heat conduction, wave propagation, vibrations of strings, square drums, round drums, spheres and manifolds, traffic flow shocks, evolution of population densities, fluid flow, electrostatics, minimal surfaces, gravitation, and quantum mechanics (including the determination of the bound states of the hydrogen atom).

Convenient summaries appear at the end of each section. Theorems and definitions are clearly set off in boxes. The book contains 97 figures, illustrations and tables. (Graphs of mathematical functions of one or several variables were computer generated.)