NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Course title:  Differential Equations

Course prefix, number, and section number:  MATH 2320 0601

Semester/Year of course:  Fall 2023

Semester start and end dates: 8/28/2023 – 12/16/2023

Modality:  Face to face

Class meeting location, days, and times:  Denton Campus (room 209), MW, 2pm-3:20pm

Semester credit hours:  3 (Lecture hours: 48)

Course description:  Ordinary differential equations, including linear equations, systems of equations, equations with variable coefficients, existence and uniqueness of solutions, series solutions, singular points, transform methods, and boundary value problems; application of differential equations to real-world problems.

Course prerequisites:  MATH 2414 Calculus II with a grade of “C” or better

Required course materials:  A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Applications, 11^th Editions, Dennis G. Zill, Cengage, 2018

Calculator - TI-30X IIS (No graphing calculators allowed.)

Name of instructor:  Nelson Lozano

Office location: Corinth 207

Telephone number:  940-498-6282 ext 6400

E-mail address: nlozano@nctc.edu

Office hours for students:  Appointments are met online (BigBlueButton) in Canvas.

STUDENT HOURS (OFFICE HOURS)

Each week instructors have time set aside to meet with students outside of class. (Traditionally these times have been called “office hours”.) This is a time when a student may ask questions regarding the class, or discuss a particular problem/topic with an instructor one-on-one.  Student hours may be held in-person or online.  See below for instructions on where/when/how instructors will offer student hours in this class.

MW:  On Denton Campus 10-11am & 12:30-2pm

TR (in person on Denton Campus) 11am-2pm

Friday: online (BigBlueButton) 10am-noon

MATH TUTORING LAB

Students who need help with any math class can visit the NCTC Mathematics Lab to receive assistance.  There are math tutors available on every campus and online.  This service is free for all students enrolled in an NCTC math class. Sign up for an appointment or see the most current tutoring hours for all campuses at https://www.nctc.edu/math-lab. 

SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER

The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.

SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

List of graded assignments: 

1 Critical Thinking Assignment*: 10%

1 Diagnostic Quiz (inclass): 10%

3 Unit Tests (in person): each 20% (total 60%)

Final Exam(in person): 20%

Final grade scale:  90 – 100% = A;   80 – 89% = B; 70 – 79% = C;  60 – 69% = D;  Below 60% = F

The final exam may also be used to replace the lowest unit test grade.

Late work policy:   Tests cannot be taken late.  Quizzes will not be accepted after solutions have been posted. 

SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Integrity Policy:

Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation, and collusion.  The use of online math solvers with submitted work is considered academic dishonesty.  Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected to be engaged in academic dishonesty.  See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Code of Conduct ([FLB(LOCAL)]”.  

Consequences for academic dishonesty may include:

1. Zero on the assignment
2. Failing grade for the course

Attendance Policy:

Regular attendance is expected and necessary for student success in this course. For more information on attendance regulations please see the 2022-2023 NCTC Catalog.  (https://www.nctc.edu/catalog; Click on 2022-2023 CATALOG and go to page 138 to see Attendance Regulations)

Withdrawal Policy

A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.

Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: Monday, November 6, 2023

Student Learning Outcomes:  At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1. Identify homogeneous equations, homogeneous equations with constant coefficients, and exact and linear differential equations.
2. Solve ordinary differential equations and systems of equations using:

1. Direct integrations.
2. Separation of variables.
3. Reduction of order.
4. Methods of undetermined coefficients and variation of parameters.
5. Series solutions.
6. Operator methods for finding particular solutions.
7. Laplace transform methods.

3. Determine particular solutions to differential equations with given boundary conditions or initial conditions.
4. Analyze real-world problems in fields such as Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, and Physics, including problems related to population dynamics, mixtures, growth and decay, heating and cooling, electronic circuits, and Newtonian mechanics.

Core Objectives:

X           Critical Thinking

X           Communication

X           Empirical and Quantitative

Teamwork

Personal Responsibility

Social Responsibility

COLLEGE POLICIES

STUDENT HANDBOOK

Students are expected to follow all rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook. To access Student Handbook go to NCTC homepage (www.nctc.edu), scroll to bottom and click “Student Handbook”.

ADA STATEMENT

NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations.  See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.

 
STUDENT SERVICES

NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students.  See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.

QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS