course Mth 275

Section 12.4:This section is also very clear, and I had no difficulty with any of the problems (other than remembering the area of a triangle = (1/2)ab sinC formula for #48). Since the problems that were solved using the total differential were more easily solved using only algebra, I presume that this procedure has other uses explained in later sections where algebra doesn? work.

I believe you will develop a good appreciation of the differential in subsequent sections.

Naturally the text will start you with simpler examples, most of which could be solved algebraically. However differential geometry is a very challenging and highly developed branch of mathematics.