Differential Equations

Physics! ODEs are used all the time in physical simulations, especially rigid body dynamics and particle systems. PDEs come up in simulations of fluid flow, fire, explosions, etc.

Resources to look for:
Famous series of papers by Witkin and Baraff on rigid body dynamics and particle systems for animation (circa 1997 I think). Google Witkin and Baraff and follow the first link.
"Game Physics" by David Eberly
"Physics Modeling for Game Programmers" by David Conger
"Physics for Game Developers" by David Bourg

I recommend the book by Eberly, as its treatment is very mathematical and would provide a lot of information for an ODE class.

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. I will look up the paper you mentioned. As I am a poor college student I won't be able to get the books, free resources are the only ones I can use. I have written a few albeit simple particle systems and never even came close to approaching any type of differential equation.

I should say that I am not trying to write a program to solve O.D.E.'s I already know how to solve them, just some specific cases where they crop up in games.

Anyway, thanks again. If anyone else has any ideas I would be happy to hear them.

Thanks for the reply. I will look up the paper you mentioned. As I am a poor college student I won't be able to get the books, free resources are the only ones I can use. I have written a few albeit simple particle systems and never even came close to approaching any type of differential equation.

I should say that I am not trying to write a program to solve O.D.E.'s I already know how to solve them, just some specific cases where they crop up in games.

Anyway, thanks again. If anyone else has any ideas I would be happy to hear them.

For a non-physics application of differential equations in games, check out the chapter "Using Lanchester Attrition Models to Predict the Results of Combat" in Game Programming Gems 5.