Glenn Ledder

Photograph (taken at the new media center) goes here.

Classes
Math Education for Biology
BUGBOX simulations
Maple TA Question Banks
Talks
Mathematics for the Life Sciences (Springer, 2013)
Course Notes
Model Teaching Portfolio

Vital Info

Glenn Ledder
334 Avery Hall
Department of Mathematics
University of Nebraska--Lincoln
FAX: (402)-472-8466
e-mail: gledder@unl.edu

Office Hours

Return to Top

Classes

Math 423/823 TR 9:30-10:45 Complex Variables
Math 433/833 TR 11:00-12:15 Nonlinear Optimization

Return to Top

Large Print macros for LaTeX

 It is somewhat tricky to produce a large print version of a LaTeX document for visually-impaired students. I have worked out a general scheme that allows me to quickly convert documents to large print.

Return to Top

BUGBOX Mathematical Modeling Simulations

 I have written software that can be used for inquiry-based learning of mathematical modeling for population dynamics. The software creates a virtual laboratory space inhabited by virtual insects. Students conduct experiments and devise mathematical models to predict the experiment results.

In BUGBOX_predator, students do experiments to find a relationship between prey density and consumption by one predator.

In BUGBOX_population, students observe the changes in the insect population to discover aspects of the insects' life cycle. They can construct a simple linear difference equation model, using their observations to estimate the parameter values. Four different scenarios give a sequence of increasing complexity.

Return to Top

Question Banks for EDU / Maple TA

Each of these folders contains a question bank designed for use with EDU, Maple TA, and other related packages, along with a detailed description of the questions. The questions banks were created with funding from an NSF DUE grant 0127777.

QUESTION BANK
DESCRIPTION
The differentiation skills (Gateway) exam used in Calculus I (Math 106) UNLdiffexam_August2006 UNLdiffexam_August2006
The integration skills (Gateway) exam used in Calculus II (Math 107) UNLintegexam_July2005 UNLintegexam_July2005
limits for Calculus I UNLQB_limits UNLQB_limits
computation of derivatives for Calculus I UNLQB_derivative_computation UNLQB_derivative_computation
derivative concepts and applications for Calculus I UNLQB_derivative_concepts UNLQB_derivative_concepts
integrals for Calculus I UNLQB_integrals UNLQB_integrals

Return to Top

MAPLE Worksheets

Calculus Demonstrations

secant-tangent gives a visual demonstration of how the tangent line is approximated by a sequence of secant lines.

Basic Maple tutorials (with exercises)

primer1 is an introduction to Maple designed for users who have no Maple experience.

primer2 is a demonstration of the use of formulas to represent functions and introduces basic commands for differentiation and integration.

solutions for the exercises in primer 2.

Differential Equations tutorials (with exercises)

DEtools1 is a demonstration of the use of the DEtools package to plot direction fields and solutions for first order equations.

DEtools2 is a demonstration of the use of the DEtools package to plot direction fields and solution curves for systems of two first order equations.

odes is a demonstration of Maple commands for obtaining and graphing analytical and numerical solutions for differential equations and systems.

Partial Differential Equations

HeatIVP is a worksheet that prepares graphs and animations for solutions of the Cauchy problem for the heat equation.

WaveIVP is a worksheet that prepares graphs and animations for solutions of the Cauchy problem for the wave equation.

DiffusionDisk is a worksheet that illustrates the use of Maple to solve homogeneous linear PDE's with constant coefficients on a bounded domain by the method of separation of variables. The worksheet solves the problem of radial diffusion in a disk. The worksheet assumes that the user knows the correct Sturm-Liouville equation and can solve the equation for the time-dependent factors by hand. (One can of course add more code to automate some of these simpler features.)

Linear Programming

simplex is a worksheet for the simplex algorithm.

Return to Top

Course Notes

Calculus III

Derivative Concept is a handout that briefly summarizes the concept of the derivative for functions of 1 variable, with emphasis on the geometric significance of the derivative.

Directional Slope is a handout that lays the groundwork for the development of the directional derivative by considering the slope in a given direction of a linear function. Exercises are included.

Optimization is a handout that summarizes the theory and methods for for finding local and global extrema for functions of two variables.

Line Integrals is a handout that summarizes the theory and computational methods for integrals of vector fields along curves.

Surface Integrals is a handout that summarizes the theory and computational methods for scalar surface integrals and flux integrals.

Return to Top

Model Teaching Portfolio

Portfolio is my teaching portfolio for my Spring 1999 Differential Equations course. This portfolio was prepared in May 2000 for the Peer Review project.

Return to Top

Feel free to use any of my materials for courses at other schools. I would appreciate being informed about which of my materials have been used where.

Mail to: gledder.unl.edu
Last changed: March 04, 2013

Designed by Becky Ledder