Equations in dimensions one and two constitute the majority of the text, and in particular it is demonstrated that the basic notion of stability and bifurcations of vector fields are easily explained for scalar autonomous equations.
The subject of differential and difference equations is an old and much-honored chapter in science, one which germinated in applied fields such as celestial mechanics, nonlinear oscillations, and fluid dynamics. In recent years, due primarily to the proliferation of computers, dynamical systems has once more turned to its roots in applications with perhaps a more mature look. Many of the available books and expository narratives either require extensive mathematical preparation, or are not designed to be used as textbooks. The authors have filled this void with the present book.
