Syllabus
Textbook: Linear Algebra and its Applications, by David Lay
Time and Location: Tuesday and Thursday from 1:10-2:25, Science Hall 111.
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 until 11:30 and Wednesday from 1:30 until 2:30. For other times, please feel free to make an appointment to see me.
Catalog description: Systems of equations, matrices, vector spaces and linear transformations.
Prerequisites: C or better in MATH 142G, MATH 191, or MATH 235.
Even with the prerequisite, you may find you are not fully
prepared. You will need to be proficient in algebra. Please consult me for
advice immediately if your preparation is in doubt. You will only hurt and
frustrate your own learning if you jump into this course not fully prepared.
Goals of the Course: This course introduces students to the basic techniques of linear algebra, including topics on vectors, matrices, vector spaces and subspaces, and linear transformations. Students are exposed to mathematical reasoning, proofs, and abstract structures. These ideas will be presented through a combination of lectures and themes.
Themes: Each theme will contain an assignment for the following
week consisting of readings from the text and culminating in a written
assignment to be handed in by Friday at noon. All themes will be completed by
groups of two to four students; you may not work on a theme assignment alone.
Your reports must be typed; I will not accept themes that are not typed. During
the weeks themes are assigned, most of each class meeting will be devoted to
group work on the current theme. You will be expected to have completed the
reading assignment by the first class meeting of each week, to prepare for the
week's work and as a courtesy to the other members of your group.
Each group will turn in one paper for each theme. Themes are
designed to explore a topic in depth and to integrate various ideas introduced
throughout the course. The emphasis is on the synthesis of ideas, and this will
be reflected in the way the papers are graded. It may be tempting to divide
sections of the themes among the group members, but your grade will depend
heavily on how those parts fit together to address the key issues raised. Keep
in mind that the themes cover the core material of the course, so if you do not
understand a theme you are missing basic material that will appear on tests and
other themes.
Reading and writing mathematics: Reading the material in the
book before working on the homework is absolutely necessary. Read the text
thoroughly and repeatedly; your success in this course will depend on it. What
you read will be your primary source of information and we will not always discuss
all of the assigned reading.
Your ability to present an answer along with a clear indication to
the reader of the reasoning by which you arrived at it is crucial to
communicating mathematics. Correct answers are not enough in this course. Your
goal is to learn how to solve problems and to explain the solutions by giving
correct and easy to follow arguments which justify your answers. Illegible and
poorly organized homework will not receive full credit on any assignment.
On all assignments, I assume your work will be neat and legible
and that you will use correct mathematical statements. The more practice you
get from doing the homework, the better you will become at writing mathematics
correctly. Feel free to see me about questions concerning the proper way to
write mathematics.
Attendance: You will need to attend class regularly in order to
do well in this class. If you miss a class, you are responsible for making up
the material that was missed. Missing a class is not an excuse for handing in
late work.
You must turn off cell phones and pagers while in class.
There is a university policy that makes attendance
mandatory. If a student misses one consecutive week of class, has excessive
absences, or fails to complete assignments in a timely manner, the student may
be dropped from the course. If you miss classes or fail to hand in assignments
and I believe it is hampering your chances for success in this class, I will
request that you be dropped. However, it is not my responsibility to drop you
from this class. If you choose to drop the class, you will need to file the
proper paperwork yourself.
The last day to withdraw from an individual course is
Wednesday, March 6.
Grading:
Homework (10%): Daily homework assignments during non-theme
weeks will include one or two marked problems. The marked problems will be
written up and handed in at the next class period. You must show your work to
receive credit. Late homework will not be accepted, except for university
approved absences.
Themes (60%; 10% for each theme): There will be six
one-week themes. Your report must be typed; the mathematics may be written by
hand. I will not accept themes that are handed in late.
Midterm (10%): There will be one in-class exam, scheduled
for February 28. You may not use a calculator on this test.
Final: (20%): A comprehensive final examination will be
held on Thursday, May 9, from 1:00 to 3:00. You may not use a calculator on
this test.
Incomplete grades: Incomplete grades may be given only if a student passed the first half of the course and is precluded from successful completion of the course by a documented illness or family crisis that genuinely precluded successful completion of the course.
American with Disabilities Act: If you think the following statement applies to you, I urge you to speak to me as soon as possible.
If you have or believe you have a disability and would benefit from any accommodations, you may wish to self-identify by contacting the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Office located at Garcia Annex (phone: 646-6840). If you have already registered, please make sure that your instructor receives a copy of the accommodation memorandum from SSD within the first two weeks of classes. It is your responsibility to inform either your instructor or SSD representative in a timely manner if services/accommodations provided are not meeting your needs.
If you have a condition which may affect your ability to exit safely from the premises in an emergency or which may cause an emergency during class, you are encouraged to discuss any concerns with the instructor and/or Ms. Jane Spinti, SSD Coordinator. Feel free to call Ms. Elva Telles (EEO/ADA and Employee Relations Director) at 646-3333 with any questions about the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and/or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All medical information will be treated confidentially.
File translated from TEX
by TTH, version
1.95.
On 20 Aug 2001, 11:09.