Course syllabus: click here. Make sure to read this! The content of this page is merely a condensed version of the syllabus.
Meeting information: MWF, 10:20 AM -- 11:10 AM, Wells Hall A320
Exam information:
Midterms:
Friday, October 6, 2017, in-class
Wednesday, November 1, 2017, in-class
Final: Friday, December 15, 2017, 7:45 AM -- 9:45 AM, Wells Hall A320
Textbook: Although it is not strictly required, I recommend following along with the book Linear Algebra with Applications, 8th edition or newer, by Steven J. Leon.
As the course progresses, I will add notes to this section for you to use as references. While I've done my best to avoid any typos, they do occasionally slip in. Let me know if you have found one (or think you might have) and I will correct it as soon as possible.
Online Discussion: Piazza is a very nice communication platform for classes (especially math classes). Instead of sending me questions by email, I encourage you to post questions and/or answers using Piazza, so that everyone in the class can see both the questions and answers. Piazza also allows you to post anonymously, in case you are reluctant to have your name attached to a post. You will receive an invitation in the beginning of the semester inviting you to join. Our Q&A page is
Homework: Homework sets will be posted in this section regularly, so make sure to check back for any new assignments. All homework must be typed using LaTeX; I recommend all students use www.sharelatex.com for their homework, as it is easy to get started with and many of you have used it in a previous class. Each assignment will be collected at the beginning of class, and late work will not be accepted under any circumstances. To offset this strict policy, your three lowest homework scores will be dropped automatically.
LaTeX: some information about getting started with LaTeX can be found here ( .pdf | .tex ). You can learn not only from the content of the .pdf file, but from looking at how some of the formatting was done by looking at the .tex file itself. If you want to brush up on using it, or learn how to use it at all, there will be a help session on Thursday, 8/31 at 6:00 pm -- 7:00 pm in Wells Hall, room A320.
Tentative schedule of topics:
Week 1
8/30: Introductions; what is linear algebra?
9/1: Review of notation, logic, and proof techniques
Week 2
9/4: Labor Day -- no class
9/6: Systems of linear equations
9/8: Row reduction and echelon forms
Week 3
9/11: (cont'd)
9/13: Vector equations
9/15: The matrix equation Ax = b
Week 4
9/18: Homogeneous and non-homogeneous systems
9/20:Linear independence
9/22: Intro. to linear transformations
Week 5
9/25: The matrix of a linear transformation
9/27: Matrix operations
9/29: The inverse of a matrix
Week 6
10/2: Characterizations of invertible matrices
10/4: Review
10/6: Midterm Exam 1
Week 7
10/9: Intro. to Determinants
10/11: Vector spaces and subspaces
10/13: Null spaces, column spaces, and linear transformations