$$
\newcommand{\uex}{{u_{\small\mbox{e}}}}
\newcommand{\uexd}[1]{{u_{\small\mbox{e}, #1}}}
\newcommand{\vex}{{v_{\small\mbox{e}}}}
\newcommand{\vexd}[1]{{v_{\small\mbox{e}, #1}}}
\newcommand{\Aex}{{A_{\small\mbox{e}}}}
\newcommand{\half}{\frac{1}{2}}
\newcommand{\halfi}{{1/2}}
\newcommand{\tp}{\thinspace .}
\newcommand{\Ddt}[1]{\frac{D #1}{dt}}
\newcommand{\E}[1]{\hbox{E}\lbrack #1 \rbrack}
\newcommand{\Var}[1]{\hbox{Var}\lbrack #1 \rbrack}
\newcommand{\Std}[1]{\hbox{Std}\lbrack #1 \rbrack}
\newcommand{\xpoint}{\boldsymbol{x}}
\newcommand{\normalvec}{\boldsymbol{n}}
\newcommand{\Oof}[1]{\mathcal{O}(#1)}
\newcommand{\x}{\boldsymbol{x}}
\newcommand{\X}{\boldsymbol{X}}
\renewcommand{\u}{\boldsymbol{u}}
\renewcommand{\v}{\boldsymbol{v}}
\newcommand{\w}{\boldsymbol{w}}
\newcommand{\V}{\boldsymbol{V}}
\newcommand{\e}{\boldsymbol{e}}
\newcommand{\f}{\boldsymbol{f}}
\newcommand{\F}{\boldsymbol{F}}
\newcommand{\stress}{\boldsymbol{\sigma}}
\newcommand{\strain}{\boldsymbol{\varepsilon}}
\newcommand{\stressc}{{\sigma}}
\newcommand{\strainc}{{\varepsilon}}
\newcommand{\I}{\boldsymbol{I}}
\newcommand{\T}{\boldsymbol{T}}
\newcommand{\dfc}{\alpha} % diffusion coefficient
\newcommand{\ii}{\boldsymbol{i}}
\newcommand{\jj}{\boldsymbol{j}}
\newcommand{\kk}{\boldsymbol{k}}
\newcommand{\ir}{\boldsymbol{i}_r}
\newcommand{\ith}{\boldsymbol{i}_{\theta}}
\newcommand{\iz}{\boldsymbol{i}_z}
\newcommand{\Ix}{\mathcal{I}_x}
\newcommand{\Iy}{\mathcal{I}_y}
\newcommand{\Iz}{\mathcal{I}_z}
\newcommand{\It}{\mathcal{I}_t}
\newcommand{\If}{\mathcal{I}_s} % for FEM
\newcommand{\Ifd}{{I_d}} % for FEM
\newcommand{\Ifb}{{I_b}} % for FEM
\newcommand{\setb}[1]{#1^0} % set begin
\newcommand{\sete}[1]{#1^{-1}} % set end
\newcommand{\setl}[1]{#1^-}
\newcommand{\setr}[1]{#1^+}
\newcommand{\seti}[1]{#1^i}
\newcommand{\sequencei}[1]{\left\{ {#1}_i \right\}_{i\in\If}}
\newcommand{\basphi}{\varphi}
\newcommand{\baspsi}{\psi}
\newcommand{\refphi}{\tilde\basphi}
\newcommand{\psib}{\boldsymbol{\psi}}
\newcommand{\sinL}[1]{\sin\left((#1+1)\pi\frac{x}{L}\right)}
\newcommand{\xno}[1]{x_{#1}}
\newcommand{\Xno}[1]{X_{(#1)}}
\newcommand{\yno}[1]{y_{#1}}
\newcommand{\Yno}[1]{Y_{(#1)}}
\newcommand{\xdno}[1]{\boldsymbol{x}_{#1}}
\newcommand{\dX}{\, \mathrm{d}X}
\newcommand{\dx}{\, \mathrm{d}x}
\newcommand{\ds}{\, \mathrm{d}s}
\newcommand{\Real}{\mathbb{R}}
\newcommand{\Integerp}{\mathbb{N}}
\newcommand{\Integer}{\mathbb{Z}}
$$
A basic model for exponential decay
The world's simplest (?) ODE:
$$
\begin{equation*}
u'(t) = -au(t),\quad u(0)=I,\ t\in (0,T]\tp
\end{equation*}
$$
Observation.
We can learn a lot about numerical methods, computer implementation,
program testing, and real applications of these tools by using
this very simple ODE as example. The teaching principle is to keep the math as
simple as possible while learning computer tools.
