# About the math involved in some physics equations ?

#### awholenumber

I have some questions about the kind of math involved in some physics equations .

Someone said many physics equations involve Ordinary and Partial differential equations

What sort of Ordinary or Partial differential equations are involved in Maxwell equations and Schrodinger equations ?

These are some rough notes i made while trying to learn differential equations and programming

I am not sure if the things i wrote down are right ?

Derivative is the rate of change of the dependent variable y with respect to the independent variable x , which is a number

Differential equations are equations which involve one or more derivatives or the rate of change of the dependent variable y with respect to the independent variable x , or dy/dx , which is a number ...

Which is a number in an unknown function

Partial derivative

The character âˆ‚ is a stylized d mainly used as a mathematical symbol to denote a partial derivative such as âˆ‚z / âˆ‚x (read as "the partial derivative of z with respect to x")
A derivative of a function of two or more variables with respect to one variable , the other(s) being treated as a constant

Partial differential equation

An equation containing one or more partial derivatives .
The character âˆ‚ is a stylized d mainly used as a mathematical symbol to denote a partial derivative such as âˆ‚z / âˆ‚x (read as "the partial derivative of z with respect to x")
Ordinary differential equations for ex dy/dx tells something about the relation between dependent variable y to the independent variable x ... which is a number of a certain variables in an unknown function

Partial differential equations for ex SquigglyDy/dx tells something about the relation between dependent variable y to the independent variable x ... which is a number of a certain variables in an unknown function
What does the variables in those equations represent ?

#### mathman

Forum Staff
For physicists the variables are whatever is being considered, such as time, length, energy, etc. The mathematical treatment doesn't require any knowledge of physical meaning.

#### awholenumber

Thanks . The things i wrote down inside the quotes are sort of OK too right ?

:ninja: