  In this note, I show that it is possible to use elementary mathematics,
instead of the machinery of Lambert function, Laplace Transform, or numerics,
to derive the instability condition, $k \tau = \pi/2$, and the critical damping
condition, $k\tau = 1/e$, for the time-delayed equation $\dot{\theta} = -k
\theta(t-\tau)$. I hope it will be useful for the new comers to this equation,
and perhaps even to the experts if this is a simpler method compared to other
versions.
