FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to contact Prof. Tanedo if you have questions about this course. Include "[P17]" in the subject to make sure your email receives the appropriate attention.

Existential questions

• Why should I take this course?
  Advanced physics courses draw on a rich, common mathematical language. This langauge is often too "fly by the seat of your pants" for math-for-mathematicians courses and too abstract (how many dimensions?) for math-for-engineers courses. The information is sometimes spread between too many different courses. Physics 17 students will develop a "physicist's intuition" for the key mathematical ideas that are common to relativity, quantum mechanics, and modern physics.

• What can I do after this course?
  Students who complete Physics 17 will be mathematically prepared for quantum mechanics (Physcis 156). Those interested in graudate study in theoretical physics may also consider taking the graduate-level Physcis 231 (Mathematical Methods of Theoretical Physics).

• Why is there a linear algebra course in the physics department?
  This course will teach the foundations of linear algebra with a special emphasis on the way in which we use linear algebra in physics. We will build the intuition and mathematical techniques to think about transformations in space, the connection between quantum states and vectors, tensors, special relativity, and (as time permits) a hint of how this all connects to group theory (symmetry in physics) and differential geometry (e.g. general relativity). The core focus will be a working knowledge of the mathematical language of quantum mechanics.

• How is this different from Math 31?
  We will not focus on matrix equations as systems of linear equations and we will not spend much time on maps between vector spaces of different dimensionality. Instead, we focus on generalizing to the complex vector spaces in quantum mechanics.

Logistics

• When will this course be offered?
  Spring 2022. We are tentatively requesting Tue/Thu lectures. We do not yet know what time it will be offered.

• I am a sophomore taking Physics 156 in Fall 2022, should I take this course?
  Yes! This course was designed for you. It is a better fit for physics majors than Math 31.

• I am a freshman taking Physics 41C/40C in Spring 22, can I take this course?
  Yes, you may need to do a little bit of extra work to keep up, but you will not necessarily be missing out on any pre-requisites.

• I have not taken Math 10B or 46 and these are listed as pre-requisites.
  You may reach out to the instructor to decide if you have the mathematical foundation to take the course. If both you and the instructor agree, then the pre-requisites may be waived. (2024: we are working on removing the Math 46 course requirement.)

• I am a transfer student, should I take this course?
  This course is a replacement for linear algebra and a mathematical primer for quantum mechanics. If you feel like you could use this preparation ahead of taking Physics 156, then this is the course to take. If you have already had a linear algebra or quantum mechanics course, then the material here may be redundant.

• I am not a physics major, may I take this course?
  You are welcome to take this course. Note that the goal of the course is to give a mathematical foundation for physics. Some mathematicians may be dismayed at how we will play fast-and-loose with formal definitions. This is not the type of linear algebra class where Matlab is of any use. 

Other Courses

• Should I take Math 31 (Applied Linear Algebra)?
  Physics 017 is a replacement for Math 31, so you should not take both Physics 017 and Math 31. 

• If I take Physics 17, will I be able to take Math 131 (linear algebra for math majors)?
  Physics 017 will cover most of the material in Math 31 that you would need for Math 131. However, currently the Math department doesn't not recognize that Physics 17 as fulfilling the pre-requisites for Math 131. You would need the instructor's approval in order to take Math 131 from Physics 17. (Note: Physics 17 will cover many of the ideas in Math 131 and some of Math 132 with a focus on how they appear in quantum mechanics.)

• Is it possible to take Physics 156 if I do not take Physics 017?
  Yes, you are not required to take Physics 017 to take quantum mechanics. Our hope is that Physics 017 will eventually become the standard option for the physics major.

• Is this the advanced mathematical methods course?
  No, Physics 017 is a lower-division course. In the future we will offer Physics 117, an upper division continuation of this course that will focus on differential equations and complex analysis in preparation for graduate-level physics courses. If you're interested in that course, you may find useful resources on the Physics 231 course page (graduate-level version).

Questions you didn't want to ask in public

• Is this an easy course? I heard your courses are easy.
  No; Physics 017 lays the foundation for Physics 156 (quantum mechanics). It is a core part of the physics education. We take it very seriously as a stepping stone for your future success in the physics major. 

• What is the time commitment of the course?
  This course is 4 units. By the standards of the UC system, each unit corresponds to one hour of classroom time + 3 hours of outside time per week. This means that each week you can expect to spend 9 hours outside the class on this course. This time will be spent reading the textbook(s) and doing homework assignments (problem sets + explainer videos).