NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Division of Science and Mathematics
Course: Math 2914, Differential Equations
Credit Hours: 4 credit hours for transfer
Instructor:
Tracy Vaughan
e-mail: tvaughan@nwacc.edu
Office Hours:
Spring 2008
First Day Handout /Syllabus
Prerequisite: MATH 2574 with a “C” or better.
Office: SC 310
Office Phone: (479) 986-6920
Monday: 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday: 8:45 – 10:40 a.m.
Wednesday: 8:45 – 9:00 and 11:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. – 12 p.m.
I will hold additional online office hours. Though these vary from day to day, I will check my e-mail at least once a day Monday
through Friday (except Spring Break) and respond as promptly as possible (typically within 24 hours except on the weekends). If
you send an e-mail and don’t hear back from me within 48 hours, please resend your message as I may not have received it. Please
include your name and which class you are enrolled in within your e-mail.
Prerequisites: MATH 2574 with a “C” or better.
Text: A First Course in Differential Equations with Modeling Application, Eighth Edition. Dennis Zill. Thomson/
Brooks Cole, 2005.
Course Description
This course is intended for students who are enrolled in a transfer degree such as the Associate of Science and will be
obtaining a technical, science or mathematics based degree at a four year institution. It is designed to transfer to a
university as a first course in differential equations. This depends, of course, on the transfer institution.
Topics will include first and second order ordinary differential equations; Laplace Transforms; systems of ordinary
differential equations and eigenvectors.
Course Objectives
General course objectives include:
1) Classification of various types of differential equations
2) Solving first -order differential equations according to their types
3) General theory of nth order linear equations and their solutions using method of undetermined coefficients and variation
of parameters.
4) Study of Laplace transforms and apply them to solve initial value problems with constant coefficients
5) Study solutions of first order linear systems
6) Modeling various types of differential equations in physical situations
Grade Allocation
Note: The grade ranges below are definitive. I do not round or curve. If you need a particular grade, please make sure you
earn at least the minimum number of points required to receive that grade. For example, 419 total points earns a grade of D,
539 points earns a B, etc.
A = 540 – 600 pts, B = 480 – 539 pts, C = 420 – 479 pts,
D = 360 – 419, F = 0 – 359 pts
Your grade in this course will be based on the following:
Three Exams
(100 points each)
300 points
Quizzes
(6 at 25 points each)
150 points
Final Exam
150 points
600 points possible
A = 540-600 pts,
B = 480-539 pts,
C = 420-479 pts,
D = 360-419 pts,
F = 0-359 pts
Exams
We will have 3 regular exams worth 100 points each. Each exam will include concept questions and problems similar to
the assigned homework problems (including application problems). The final exam will be comprehensive and will cover
all material discussed in the course. There will be no make-up exams given for ANY reason. You may replace one100
point exam score with your final exam percentage if it helps your grade. Furthermore, you may not leave the
classroom for any reason during an exam. If you do, you will not be allowed to return and work on the exam. No
TI-89, 92 or comparable calculator is allowed on any quiz or exam.
Your final exam will be on Monday, May 5, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
25 Point Quizzes
We will have approximately 7 quizzes worth 25 points each. There are no make-ups on quizzes. You may not leave the
room for any reason during a 25 point quiz. If you do you will not be allowed to return and work on the quiz.
Attendance Bonus Points
Attendance will be taken every day and will count as 10 bonus points. Missing four classes or less will result in a perfect
attendance score; otherwise a zero will be given for attendance. Arriving late or leaving early counts as an absence. If you
miss a class, it is your responsibility to catch up on the material you missed by getting the handouts, completing
assignments, and getting an update from a classmate. If you miss a class, you will be expected to have the assignments
completed for the next class. Absences will not be classified as excused or unexcused. After missing class, leaving early,
or coming in late three times for any reason a zero will be given for attendance. It is your responsibility to make sure you
sign the attendance sheet each day. Failure to sign will result in you being counted absent. If you leave the room during
a quiz or exam you will not be allowed to return and work on your paper.
Make-up Policy
No late papers will be accepted. This includes quizzes and exams.
Missed classes including class cancellation due to weather
If you miss class for any reason including class cancellation due to bad weather it is your responsibility to catch up on the
missed material by the next class period. If a quiz or exam is scheduled for a particular day and the previous class period
or the day scheduled for the quiz or exam is canceled due to inclement weather, come to class prepared to take the exam or
quiz the first class day school is back in session.
Special Services
If you are a student with a disability who will be requesting accommodations, you should contact the Office of
disAbility Services in the Student Center room 225, phone (479) 619-2660. The director of disAbility Services will meet
with you and recommend appropriate accommodations and services after you have submitted the required documentation.
After you have met with disability Services and receive your registration card it is your responsibility to contact the
instructor to make the appropriate arrangements.
Calculator usage / Academic Dishonesty
The use of a graphing calculator is not required for this course. However, you will find it very helpful. For equality
purposes, I reserve the right to require that you use a graphing calculator brought to class by me for quizzes or exams or
that you clear your calculator of unapproved formulas and programs before each quiz and exam. There may be some
exams or quizzes given where you will not be allowed to use a calculator. For our purposes, the method used to reach a
solution is at least as important as the solution itself. Also, most of the time, I will require exact answers, not decimal
approximations. No calculator with a CAS (Computer Algebra System) such as TI-89, TI-92, Ti-Voyager or
comparable graphing utility is allowed in this class. The attempted use of a prohibited calculator or program is
academic dishonesty and will result in a score of 0 with no possibility of the score being dropped or replaced.
Further action may be taken according to the Academic Dishonesty policy in the 2006-07 College Catalog (pp 154155). This also applies to all other forms of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to: using unauthorized
formula sheets or notes, using unauthorized calculator programs, leaving the room and returning during an exam,
copying from someone else’s paper or allowing them to copy from yours.
Withdrawal Policy
If at some point in the semester you are having difficulty and you are thinking about dropping out of the course, I would
strongly urge you to see me first. If you do decide to withdraw, you must fill out the appropriate form and take it to the
registrar. Not attending class is not the same as withdrawing. To officially withdraw and avoid an “F” on your transcript,
you must fill out a drop slip. The deadline for dropping is Friday, April 4, by 4:00 p.m.
Tutoring
Unfortunately, tutors for Differential Equations in the Math Café’ and Learning Lab are few. If you need help outside of
class come see me during my office hours and check the Learning Lab and Math Café’ schedules to see if there are any
tutors qualified for Calculus. There are videos available for Calculus I via checkout at the NWACC library. I also
strongly encourage you to form study groups with your classmates. You will be surprised at how many of your problems
can be straightened out with a collection of minds!
FERPA
NWACC is committed to your right to privacy as outlined in the Family Educational Right and Privacy Act. This means
that I can only communicate grades with you in person or on My NWACC Connection.
Cell Phones and Pagers
Please, please, please turn off your cell phones and pagers before class! If you absolutely must have them on for childcare
or work reasons I ask that you set them on vibrate mode. If you must take a call during class, please do not begin talking
until after you have left the room. You absolutely may not accept or make calls during any quiz or exam! No IPODS
or other listening devices are allowed in the classroom. Also, you may not use your phone, PDA, or similar electronic
device for any reason (including the calculator) in this class and you may not text message or play electronic games in
class.
Important Dates
January 21—College closed for Martin Luther King Day
January 22 – Last day to drop classes and receive 100% refund
January 29 – Last day to drop classes and receive 80% refund
March 17 – 22—Spring Break
April 4– Last day to drop with a “W”
May 3 – Last day of regular classes
Monday, May 5, FINAL EXAM, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m