This course "Introduction to Advanced Calculus" is a natural sequel to the course "Introduction to Calculus", also on this platform, though students who are well-prepared, with some prior calculus experience, can jump straight in. Once again, the focus and themes of this course address important foundations for applications of mathematics in science, engineering and commerce, with now a particular focus on series representations of functions and an introduction to the theory of differential equations. The course emphasises key ideas and historical motivation for calculus, while at the same time striking a balance between theory and application, leading to a mastery of key threshold concepts in foundational mathematics.

Introduction to Advanced Calculus

Introduction to Advanced Calculus

Instructor: David Easdown
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There are 4 modules in this course
This module begins by reviewing limit definitions of the derivative, looking in depth at underlying results and principles such as the Mean Value Theorem and the Intermediate Value Theorem, leading to methods for finding approximate solutions of equations. New techniques are introduced, such as L'Hopital's Rule for finding difficult limits and the lightning fast Newton's Method for homing in on roots of equations. The module finishes by adding hyperbolic functions to the toolkit, complementing existing knowledge of circular functions.
What's included
13 videos8 readings7 assignments
13 videos•Total 174 minutes
- Welcome and introduction to Week 1•9 minutes
- Differential Calculus Revision (a)•19 minutes
- Differential Calculus Revision (b)•11 minutes
- The Mean Value Theorem (a)•25 minutes
- The Mean Value Theorem (b)•11 minutes
- L'Hopital's Rule and Rates of Growth (a)•14 minutes
- L'Hopital's Rule and Rates of Growth (b)•15 minutes
- The Intermediate Value Theorem (a)•16 minutes
- The Intermediate Value Theorem (b)•10 minutes
- Newton's Method (a)•8 minutes
- Newton's Method (b)•7 minutes
- Hyperbolic Functions (a)•14 minutes
- Hyperbolic Functions (b)•14 minutes
8 readings•Total 130 minutes
- How to navigate this MOOC•10 minutes
- Overview of assessments and activities•10 minutes
- Differential Calculus Revision•20 minutes
- The Mean Value Theorem•20 minutes
- L'Hopital's Rule and Rates of Growth•20 minutes
- The Intermediate Value Theorem•10 minutes
- Newton's Method•20 minutes
- Hyperbolic Functions•20 minutes
7 assignments•Total 240 minutes
- Differential Calculus Revision•30 minutes
- The Mean Value Theorem•30 minutes
- L'Hopital's Rule and Rates of Growth•30 minutes
- The Intermediate Value Theorem•30 minutes
- Newton's Method•30 minutes
- Hyperbolic Functions•30 minutes
- Week 1 - Differentiation•60 minutes
This module begins by reviewing areas under curves, the method of Riemann sums, leading to definite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, leading to indefinite integrals. It then reviews integration by substitution, including difficult examples, and revisits logarithms and exponentials and their properties, using the constructive late transcendental method (compared with the existential early transcendental method). The module then introduces the method of integration by parts and the method of partial fractions, including a sketch of underlying related principles from linear algebra. The module then introduces the disc and shell methods for finding volumes of revolution, formulae for finding surface areas of revolutions, related to arc length, and the concept of work from physics. The module finishes with an introduction to improper integrals, their many variations and contrasting techniques, including a discussion of the painter's paradox, involving Torricelli's trumpet, which has a finite volume but infinite surface area.
What's included
17 videos10 readings9 assignments
17 videos•Total 289 minutes
- Introduction to Week 2•4 minutes
- Integral Calculus Review (a)•18 minutes
- Integral Calculus Review (b)•20 minutes
- Integration by Substitution Review•19 minutes
- Early vs Late Transcendentals (a)•17 minutes
- Early vs Late Transcendentals (b)•16 minutes
- Integration by Parts•21 minutes
- Integration by Parts - bonus video•18 minutes
- Method of Partial Fractions (a)•15 minutes
- Method of Partial Fractions (b)•12 minutes
- Volumes and Surface Areas of Revolution (a)•17 minutes
- Volumes and Surface Areas of Revolution (b)•19 minutes
- Length of a Curve and Work (a)•21 minutes
- Length of a Curve and Work (b)•11 minutes
- Improper Integrals (a)•19 minutes
- Improper Integrals (b)•18 minutes
- Improper Integrals - bonus video•25 minutes
10 readings•Total 200 minutes
- Integral Calculus Review•20 minutes
- Integration by Substitution Review•20 minutes
- Early vs Late Transcendentals•20 minutes
- Integration by Parts•20 minutes
- Bonus Video•20 minutes
- Method of Partial Fractions•20 minutes
- Volumes and Surface Areas of Revolution•20 minutes
- Length of a Curve and Work•20 minutes
- Improper Integrals•20 minutes
- Bonus Video notes•20 minutes
9 assignments•Total 300 minutes
- Integral Calculus Review•30 minutes
- Integration by Substitution Review•30 minutes
- Early vs Late Transcendentals•30 minutes
- Integration by Parts•30 minutes
- Method of Partial Fractions•30 minutes
- Volumes and Surface Areas of Revolution•30 minutes
- Length of a Curve and Work•30 minutes
- Improper Integrals•30 minutes
- Week 2 - Integration•60 minutes
This third module begins by reviewing concepts related to sequences, including the Monotone Convergence Theorem, which is used frequently to guarantee convergence of limits and series under certain conditions. The module then introduces series, which are sums of sequences, which go on forever, and defined formally as limits of partial sums, which may or may not converge. Geometric, harmonic and alternating harmonic series are introduced, leading to the Ratio Test and the Alternating Test for convergence. Power series representations are introduced, including explicit formulae for Taylor and Maclaurin series, in terms of iterated derivatives and factorials. Important functions, such as exponential, logarithmic, circular and hyperbolic functions, are analysed, compared and contrasted, from the point of view of series representations. Approximations of functions are studied using Taylor and Maclaurin polynomials, which result by truncating the respective infinite series. This leads to Taylor's Theorem, which enables one to control the quality of the approximation and make predictions using a remainder term. The method is also used to prove Euler's number e is irrational and that the alternating harmonic series converges to the natural logarithm of 2.
What's included
11 videos5 readings6 assignments
11 videos•Total 174 minutes
- Introduction to Week 3•4 minutes
- Sequences (a)•14 minutes
- Sequences (b)•20 minutes
- Geometric and Harmonic Series (a)•20 minutes
- Geometric and Harmonic Series (b)•16 minutes
- Tests for Convergence (a)•12 minutes
- Tests for Convergence (b)•18 minutes
- Series Representations of Functions (a)•19 minutes
- Series Representations of Functions (b)•11 minutes
- Taylor and Maclaurin Polynomials (a)•17 minutes
- Taylor and Maclaurin Polynomials (b)•24 minutes
5 readings•Total 100 minutes
- Sequences•20 minutes
- Geometric and Harmonic Series•20 minutes
- Tests for Convergence•20 minutes
- Series Representations of Functions•20 minutes
- Taylor and Maclaurin Polynomials•20 minutes
6 assignments•Total 210 minutes
- Sequences•30 minutes
- Geometric and Harmonic Series•30 minutes
- Tests for Convergence•30 minutes
- Series Representations of Functions•30 minutes
- Taylor and Maclaurin Polynomials•30 minutes
- Week 3 - Series Representations of Functions•60 minutes
This fourth and final module serves as an introduction to the vast theory of differential equations. It begins with the class of separable equations, generalising the simplest cases where the derivative of a function is proportional to the value of the function, used to model exponential growth and decay. Introducing an inhibition or death factor, leads to the logistic equation and its solution, the logistic function, used to model wide ranging phenomena in science and population dynamics. A discussion of equilibrium solutions and their stability ensues. The module then considers a class of first order linear differential equations, which may be solved using an integrating factor method, an instance of the Conjugation Principle, used widely in mathematics to solve difficult problems or avoid obstacles. The module then considers second order equations with constant coefficients, which have solution spaces that are two-dimensional, analogous to planes in space. The module finishes with an introduction to solutions of systems of equations, which model interacting populations, in a symbiotic or predator-prey relationship, including a brief overview of connections with concepts in linear algebra and the matrix exponential.
What's included
11 videos6 readings6 assignments
11 videos•Total 182 minutes
- Introduction to Week 4•5 minutes
- Separable Differential Equations (a)•20 minutes
- Separable Differential Equations (b)•21 minutes
- Equilibrium Solutions•13 minutes
- First Order Linear Differential Equations (a)•18 minutes
- First Order Linear Differential Equations (b)•15 minutes
- Second Order Linear Differential Equations With Constant Coefficients (a)•17 minutes
- Second Order Linear Differential Equations With Constant Coefficients (b)•13 minutes
- Introduction to Simultaneous Differential Equations•22 minutes
- Using the Matrix Exponential to Solve Differential Equations (part 1)•14 minutes
- Using the Matrix Exponential to Solve Differential Equations (part 2)•24 minutes
6 readings•Total 120 minutes
- Separable Differential Equations•20 minutes
- Equilibrium Solutions•20 minutes
- First Order Linear Differential Equations•20 minutes
- Second Order Linear Differential Equations With Constant Coefficients•20 minutes
- Introduction to Simultaneous Differential Equations•20 minutes
- Using the Matrix Exponential to Solve Differential Equations•20 minutes
6 assignments•Total 210 minutes
- Separable Differential Equations•30 minutes
- Equilibrium Solutions•30 minutes
- First Order Linear Differential Equations•30 minutes
- Second Order Linear Differential Equations With Constant Coefficients•30 minutes
- Introduction to Simultaneous Differential Equations•30 minutes
- Week 4 - Introduction to Differential Equations•60 minutes
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Reviewed on Feb 22, 2026
Professor's David Easdown remarkable attitude towards mathematics is very inspiring and positively contagious.