ABSTRACT
The order of an ODE is the order of the highest-order derivative in the differential equation. The general first-order ODE is
dy dt =f(t,y) (11.1 )
(II.2)
where f(t,y) is called the derivative function. For simplicity of notation, differentiation usually will be denoted by the superscript "prime" notation:
, dy y = dt
Thus, Eq. (lI.l) can be written as y' = f(t,y)
The general nth-order ODE for yet) has the form
(IIA ) where the superscripts (n), (n - I), etc. denote nth-order differentiation, etc.
