Nkechi M. Agwu

Professor
Mathematics

Office: N-581

Office Hours:

Phone: +1 (212) 220-1337

Professor of Mathematics Nkechi Madonna Agwu describes herself as a Nigerian, Sierra-Leonean, African-American resident of the Bronx Borough County of New York City for the past 20 years. She has taught mathematics at the university level for over 30 years in Nigeria and the United States, with at least 20 of those 30 years at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), City University of New York (CUNY). She is also former Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Scholarship (CETLS) at BMCC.

Professor Agwu is a generalist, in that her research, teaching and scholarship intersects with the sciences, arts, social sciences and humanities and she writes poetry as a hobby.

She is passionate about bringing visibility to the indigenous mathematical, scientific and technological knowledge of African people south of the Sahara and mathematical story-telling of African women leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related fields,” says Agwu. Articles featuring her scholarship, professional work and advocacy in this regard can be found at the following websites:

Expertise

Ethno-mathematics and History of Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics Education, Mathematics and Statistics Curriculum and Assessment Development, Gender Studies and Multicultural Education

Degrees

Courses Taught

4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 008 MAT 008 (Basic Mathematics): This is a course in arithmetic skills and the rudiments of algebra. Topics covered include whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, proportions, signed numbers, and solving simple linear equations. Pre/Co-Requisites: Co-Requisite: ESL 062. Students who score less than 26 on the COMPASS Pre-algebra exam are eligible to take MAT 008.
Course Syllabus
6 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 012 MAT 012 (Basic Arithmetic and Algebra): This course is a combination of arithmetic and elementary algebra. It includes the arithmetic of integers, fractions, decimals, and percent. In addition, such topics as signed numbers, algebraic representation, operations with polynomials, factoring, the solution of simultaneous linear equations of two variables, and graphing are covered. Students who passed MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51, MAT 56, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 56.5, MAT 150.5 cannot take MAT 161.5.
Course Syllabus
4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 051 MAT 051 (Elementary Algebra): This course is the first algebra course offered at the College. It includes such topics as algebraic representation, signed numbers, operations with polynomials, factoring, the solution of linear equations, the coordinate system, the solution of simultaneous linear equations of two variables, and graphing. This course is designed to prepare students for the CUNY Freshman Skills Assessment Test required for transfer to the upper division of CUNY, as well as for more advanced math courses. If a student passes MAT 12, the student should not register for MAT 51, since MAT 12 combines MAT 8 and MAT 51. Students who passed MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51, MAT 56, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 56.5, MAT 150.5 cannot take MAT 161.5.
Course Syllabus
6 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 056 MAT 056 (Intermediate Algebra and Trigonometry): This course is the second algebra course offered at the college. It is open to students who have completed elementary algebra or its equivalent. It includes such topics as: factoring, solutions of linear and quadratic equations, trigonometric relationships, exponents, logarithms, and the graphs of quadratic equations. Students who passed MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51, MAT 56, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 56.5, MAT 150.5 cannot take MAT 161.5.
Course Syllabus
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 110 MAT 110 (Fundamentals of Mathematics I): This course includes the study of several mathematical systems. The role of mathematics in modern culture, the role of postulational thinking in all mathematics, and the scientific method are discussed, The course considers topics such as the nature of axiom truth and validity; the concept of number; the concept of sets; scales of notation, and groups and fields. Prerequisites: MAT12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51 or MAT 161.5 Note: This course satisfies the Pathways: Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
Course Syllabus
3 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 111 MAT 111 (Explorations In Scientific Mathematical Research (Same as SCI 111)): This course will introduce the processes involved in research. Students will be designing and performing experiments and analyzing the results. Objectives are-to understand the scientific method, interpret statistics, and appreciate mathematical research. Computers will be used for statistics, graphing, patter recognition, and word processing. Recommended for mathematics- and science- oriented liberal arts students as a liberal arts elective. Not open to Science or Engineering Science majors. Prerequisite: One year of college science
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 125 MAT 125 (Modern Applied Mathematics): This course is a survey of modern mathematics and its applications developed after the 18th century. The emphasis is on using mathematics to model the political, economic and aesthetic aspects of modern day society. Topics include graph theory, linear programming, game theory, number theory, and mathematical growth and patterns.
4 CRS.4 HRS. MAT 150 MAT 150 (Introduction to Statistics (same as MAT 150.5)): This course covers basic statistics, including: measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, graphs, correlation, the regression line, confidence intervals, the significance of differences, and hypothesis testing, including z-tests, t-tests, and chi-square tests. Prerequisites: MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51 or MAT 161.5
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 160 MAT 160 (Quantitative Reasoning): The course aims to teach students how to think competently about quantitative information. Students learn how to take real world problems, translate them into mathematics, and solve them. Topics include thinking critically, numbers in the real world, financial management, statistical reasoning, probability, and mathematical modeling. Students who passed MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51, MAT 56, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 56.5, MAT 150.5 cannot take MAT 161.5.
Course Syllabus
3 CRS.3 HRS. MAT 161 MAT 161 (Topics in Quantitative Reasoning): This course aims to teach students how to think competently about quantitative information. Students learn how to take real world problems, translate them into the language of mathematics, and solve them. Topics include thinking critically, numbers in the real world, financial management, statistical reasoning, probability, and mathematical modeling. This course satisfies the mathematic requirement for the CUNY Core. It is recommended for students who do not intend to pursue mathematics, science or any curriculum requiring the students to take Calculus. Students who passed MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51, MAT 56, MAT 160, MAT 161, MAT 56.5, MAT 150.5 cannot take MAT 161.5. Note: This course satisfies the Pathways: Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.4 HRS. MAT 200 MAT 200 (Introduction to Discrete Mathematics): This course covers fundamental mathematical topics associated with computer information systems, including: numeration systems; sets and logic; Boolean algebra, functions, and elementary switching theory; combinatorics; mathematical induction; permutations; combinations; binomial coefficients; and distributions. Prerequisite: MAT 12 or MAT 51; and MAT 56 or MAT 56.5 or MAT 206.5.
Course Syllabus
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 202 MAT 202 (Fundamentals of Mathematics II): This course covers an axiomatic approach to mathematical relations, operations, and the real number system. Prerequisite: MAT 100
4 CRS.4 HRS. MAT 206 MAT 206 (Precalculus): This course covers basic algebraic and trigonometric skills, algebraic equations, and functions. Topics include: mathematical induction, complex numbers, and the binomial theorem. Prerequisite: MAT 56 or MAT 56.5
Course Syllabus
2 CRS.2 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 208 MAT 208 (Mathematical Problem Solving): This is a Liberal Arts elective course. It will focus on the general steps in the problem-solving process and the use of problem-solving strategies espoused by Polya, et al. Problems will include non-routine exercises taken from mathematics journals and competitions, and famous problems from the history of mathematics. Prerequisites: MAT 012 or MAT 051, if needed; also MAT 056
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 209 MAT 209 (Statistics): This course covers statistical concepts and techniques with applications. Topics include probability, random variables, the binomial distribution, the hyper-geometric distribution, measures of central tendency, the normal distribution, precision and confidence intervals, sample design and computer projects. Prerequisite: MAT 206 or MAT 206.5
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 214 MAT 214 (Mathematics for Elementary Education I): This course covers the first half of the mathematics recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) for prospective elementary school teachers, including problem solving, sets, logic, numeration, computation, integers, rational and real numbers, and number theory. This course meets the mathematics requirement only for students in the ECE program. Students who have taken MAT 100 may not receive credit for this course. Prerequisite: MAT 56 or MAT 56.5 or MAT 206.5
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 216 MAT 216 (Mathematics for Elementary Education II): This course covers the second half of the mathematics recommended by NCTM for prospective elementary school teachers, including probability, statistics, plane and transformational geometry, congruence, and similarity. This course meets the mathematics requirements ... for students in the ECE program. Students who have taken MAT 150 may not receive credit for this course. Prerequisite: MAT 214
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.5 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 300 MAT 300 (Introduction to Geometry): An introduction to Euclidean geometry and some topics from Non-Euclidean Geometry. Topics to be covered in Euclidean geometry include foundations of geometry such as lines, angles, triangles, polygons, circles, solids as well as coordinate geometry and transformations. Non-Euclidean geometry will cover a brief introduction to axion systems, parallelism and hyperbolic geometry. Prerequisite: MAT206 or the equivalent with departmental approval
4 CRS.6 HRS. MAT 301 MAT 301 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus I): This is an integrated course in analytic geometry and calculus, applied to functions of a single variable. It covers a study of rectangular coordinates in the plane, equations of conic sections, functions, limits, continuity, related rates, differentiation of algebraic and transcendental functions, Rolle's Theorem, the Mean Value Theorem, maxima and minima, and integration. Prerequisite: MAT 206 or MAT 206.5
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.6 HRS. MAT 302 MAT 302 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus II): This course provides an introduction to the concepts of formal integration. It covers the differentiation and integration of algebraic, trigonometric, and transcendental functions. Topics include the definite integral, the antiderivative, areas, volumes, and the improper integral. Prerequisite: MAT 301
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.6 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 303 MAT 303 (Analytic Geometry and Calculus III): This course is an extension of the concepts of differentiation and integration to functions of two or more variables. Topics include partial differentiation, multiple integration, Taylor series, polar coordinates and the calculus of vectors in one or two dimensions. Prerequisite: MAT 302
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 402 MAT 402 (Finite Mathematics): This course covers compound statements, sets and subsets, partitions and counting, probability theory, vectors, matrices, and linear programming. Prerequisites: MAT 012 or MAT 051, if needed; also MAT 056
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 501 MAT 501 (Ordinary Differential Equations): This is a first course in the theoretical and applied aspects of ordinary differential equations. Topics include: first-order equations, exact equations, linear equations, series solutions, Laplace transforms, Fourier series, and boundary value problems. Prerequisite: MAT 302
Course Syllabus
3 CRS.3 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 505 MAT 505 (History of Mathematics): The course follows the growth of mathematics from its empirical nature in Egypt and Babylonia to its deductive character in ancient Greece wherein the roots of the calculus will be identified. The concept of number and the development of algebra, with Hindu, Arabic, and medieval contributions are discussed. The rise of analytic geometry, the calculus, and the function concept are examined. Finally, the trend towards greater rigor and abstraction is considered including formal axiomatic systems and Godel's Incompleteness Theorem. Prerequisite: MAT 302
Course Syllabus
4 CRS.4 HRS.NULL LAB HRS. MAT 100 MAT 100 (Fundamentals of Mathematics I): This course includes the study of several mathematical systems. The role of mathematics in modern culture, the role of postulational thinking in all of mathematics, and the scientific method are discussed. The course considers topics such as: the nature of axioms, truth and validity; the concept of number; the concept of set; scales of notation; and groups and fields. Prerequisites: MAT 12, MAT 14, MAT 41, MAT 51 or MAT 161.5
Course Syllabus

Research and Projects

Culture and Women Stories: A Framework for Capacity Building in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Related Fields, Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Project in partnership with the Center for Gender Issues in Science and Technology (CEGIST), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).Mathematical Story-Telling of the Nigerian Women in Agricultural Research and Development (NiWARD), in partnership with NiWARD and the BMCC CUNY STEP Program.

Publications

God’s Own: The Genesis of Mathematical Story-Telling – A NiWARD Story of Dr. Nkechi Madonna Adeleine Agwu, authored by Nma Beautiful Jacob aka Dr. Nkechi Agwu, ISBN 97815236781292015, GGEC, UK
The Grace of Dr. Mrs. Mojisola Olayinka Edema: A Visionary and a Reformer, Edited by Dr. Nkechi Agwu, Dr. Stella Williams and Ms. Olabukunola Williams, ISBN 97815300111482016, GGEC, UK
Culture and Womenâs Stories: A Framework for Capacity Building in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Related Fieldsâ, Mathematics Teaching-Research Journal Online,, Journal Online, volume 7, number 2, pp 2 â 25,
âUsing the Concept of Upper and Lower Bounds to Find Square Rootsâ, Mathematics Teaching-Research Journal Online,

Honors, Awards and Affiliations

Additional Information

In 2001-2003, as Chair of the Statistics Committee of the Mathematics Department, Agwu spearheaded and facilitated faculty collaboration to publish a MAT 150 Workbook for teaching statistics for which royalties where donated to the mathematics department scholarship fund, see: /news/bmcc-mathematics-professors-fund-scholarships-for-their-students-with-book-royalties-and-award-stipends/.

Dr. Agwu’s American Educational Research Association (AERA), Division K, Dissertation Award winning and Syracuse University Creative Research Award winning dissertation, Using a Computer Laboratory Setting to Teach College Calculus, Ann Arbor, MI.: UMI Dissertation Services, 1996, is a comparative study between using computers versus calculators for the teaching and learning college calculus. It also analyzes gender related issues.