Cover image: The command module of Apollo 11, seconds before splashing into the Pacific Ocean. On pages 47-48, the phase line estimates explain why it strongly decelerates when entering the atmosphere.

About the book: In the past ten years, the teaching of caclulus - and consequently that of differential equation - has seen a split between the traditional approach and a more intuitive one, commonly known as "reform." An Introduction to Differential Equations---Order and Chaos reconciles these two directions. It keeps what is good and efficient from the classical style while eliminating the nonessential and heavy-going.And it includes the newer, more qualitative methods involving modeling and computers, but without overemphasizing technology. By combining the most valuable aspects of the two approaches, An Introduction to Differential Equations---Order and Chaos provides a global and realistic view of the methods used today in differential equations.