uwloo

AMATH 353Partial Differential Equations 1

Units
0.50
Faculty
Mathematics
Subject
Applied Mathematics

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Second order linear partial differential equations - the diffusion equation, wave equation, and Laplace's equation. Methods of solution - separation of variables and eigenfunction expansions, the Fourier transform. Physical interpretation of solutions in terms of diffusion, waves, and steady states. First order non-linear partial differential equations and the method of characteristics. Applications are emphasized throughout.

Prerequisites

  • Complete all of the following
    • Must have completed the following:
    • Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
      • AMATH250 - Introduction to Differential Equations (0.50)
      • AMATH251 - Introduction to Differential Equations (Advanced Level) (0.50)
      • ECE205 - Advanced Calculus 1 for Electrical and Computer Engineers (0.50)
      • MATH211 - Advanced Calculus 1 for Electrical and Computer Engineers (0.50)
      • MATH218 - Differential Equations for Engineers (0.50)
      • MATH228 - Differential Equations for Physics and Chemistry (0.50)

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • AMATH350 - Differential Equations for Business and Economics (0.50)
    • PHYS364 - Mathematical Physics 1 (0.50)

Leads to

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00155760 / 60TTh 10:00–11:20
LEC 701226447 / 9999Online or by arrangement
TUT 10159820 / 60T 15:30–16:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

79% liked it29% easy91% useful

From 34 ratings and 9 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Hard but awesome course, super useful for physics course like E&M, definitely recommend taking it if you get the chance.

    Aug 2026 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • I struggled a lot with PDEs and this course was no exception. I find that either you get PDEs or you don't. I never understood the concepts or the real life applications taught in this class

    Apr 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Really nice course. Not overly difficult but still a bit challenging in some aspects. Try to get Mike Waite if possible! The assessments were fair and I found myself applying lots of the things I learned in this course to other courses (qt1 for example).

    Apr 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • This course is fun! You will learn a lot of cool stuff and techniques you have not seen yet in AMATH 250/251/351. I enjoyed it very much

    Jul 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

  • Not very tough, but very useful and solid information

    Jan 2020 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

42 posts and comments in 39 threads mention AMATH 353, December 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2024

Courses to take if I enjoyed AMATH 250 and AMATH 351 2 points, 5 comments

“title. need to take a few math courses and just wanted to know if any courses would use the material from these courses or build upon it.”

u/sheep_herder102: “AMATH 353 and AMATH 451 are probably the most similar to those I’d say. Of course there are many other courses that use differential equations, things like continuum mechanics or quantum theory solve DEs. …”

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Spring 2023

First Year Course Selection 2 points, 4 comments

“Hi, I'll be starting Honours Math this September and am about to select first-year courses. I am interested in the applied math major, and just had a couple questions: 1. …”

u/Laeriana: “… Last year in Fall 2022 the Physics section of the course was taught by Francis Poulin, and I sat in on his AMATH 353 class some time ago too. …”

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Winter 2023

Spring 2022

Mathematical physics Course blueprint recommendations 3 points, 21 comments

“Hey everyone, I’m going into the mathematical physics program at Waterloo next year and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on a sort of blueprint I could follow for courses because …”

u/Yu-Li: “… get override request) 2B Fall: AMATH 231 AMATH 251 AMATH 271 PMATH 351 PHYS 358 3A Winter AMATH 353 AMATH 373 PMATH 352 PMATH 365 / PMATH 343 PHYS 242 First coop term Do your first research coop PHYS 342 3B Fall AMATH 473 AMATH 351 PMATH 347 PHYS 442 (get override request) PHYS …”

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Fall 2020

Winter 2020

How hard is it to override into physics related AMATH courses? (for a Hon physics student) 6 points, 4 comments

“Specifically the ones which are physics related, like Continuum Mechanics (AMATH 361), Fluids (463), and Calculus of Variations (456). …”

u/Ozinater: “… I think for Fluids PHYS 364 is actually one of the prerequisites (either that or AMATH 353 which is PDEs 1). I took AMATH 332 (complex analysis) instead of PHYS 365 as I wasn't a big fan of the previous "math phys" course and it was definitely a good decision. …”

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Fall 2019

Why does economics give BA? 0 points, 36 comments

u/Su1tani: “can we give science majors bmaths too for taking math114”

u/Su1tani: “ok but over the next 4 years im taking MATH 136, MATH 137, MATH 138, MATH 235, MATH 237, AMATH 231, AMATH 250, AMATH 332, AMATH 351, AMATH 353, AMATH 373, STAT 230 and STAT 231, and im still getting just a BSc....”

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Spring 2019

starting study abroad at waterloo in September from UK, advice?? 12 points, 20 comments

“I'm gonna be doing the fall and winter term of my 3rd year of maths degree on exchange from lancaster, and I'm gonna be living in UW place, wondered if anyone has any particular advice, what the …”

u/CramerzRule: “What courses are you going to be taking?”

u/chazcan20: “I'm taking PMATH330, PMATH336, PMATH340 and CO342 in fall and then PMATH333, PMATH334, CO331 and maybe AMATH353 or AMATH251, that one I'm still figuring out which I'm allowed to take and that sort of thing”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

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