Course Syllabus, Linear Algebra

Math 2270, Fall 2009

Instructor:  Dr. Seth Armstrong, ELC 402, 865-8059, armstrong@suu.edu. Please use email or my cell phone at 590-4516 (the Math Hotline) to contact me, as I check voice mail on my office phone every Easter or so. There will often be course materials posted on my Web page www.suu.edu/faculty/armstrong.

 

Meeting times and Office hours: We will meet MWF, 8:00-8:50 in SC 128. Consultation in my office will be 2:30-3:30 daily. Please try to make your visits during this time. If you cannot make my office hour, I will schedule another appointment when we can meet.

 

Prerequisite: Math 1210, 1220 or 1100 or equivalent and fundamental computer skills.

 

Text: Linear Algebra and its Applications, 5th ed., Gareth Williams

Objectives and Information: Systems of linear equations, matrices; Euclidean vector spaces, linear transformations between Euclidean vector spaces, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, abstract vector spaces, and linear transformations, least-squares solution of systems of linear equations, and applications to conic sections and determinants. Concepts will be applied to economics, engineering, biology, sociology, etc.

 

Policies and Procedures:

1.        Attendance is required. I will be unwilling to go through material that you miss without excuse. You may drop your lowest test score (see #3) if you have two or fewer unexcused absences. You do not have to tell me each time there is an excuse; only come see me to have me sign the roll for you when you return.

2.        Complete each homework (HW) assignment the day it’s listed if your schedule allows – this will facilitate understanding of the next day’s lecture. You should do your HW as independently as possible, though I cannot cover every topic you will see. That is, do all you can first on a problem before seeking outside help. This is because struggling through a problem for a while on your own is the best way to learn difficult material, something such as…hmmm…math! Homework from the previous week’s material (meaning M-F assignments, not the Monday night just before hand-in) will be handed in either Monday in class or in the box outside my office by Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. It should be neat and show complete work to receive credit. Because you have F night through M night between the last HW assignment and handing it in, I will not give any time extension on the HW unless it’s excused. Late, unexcused HW will get a zero.

3.        Only three of your four exam scores will count toward your grade unless you have too many absences (see #1). Should you fall ill or have to be gone for some legitimate excuse on a test day, talk to me ASAP to schedule a makeup test. If you wait more than one day after the test is done to contact me the score on the test you miss will simply be a zero regardless of excuse (i.e., although if you have been absent less than the allotted days, you can drop that one). Excuses that merit a makeup test would be such things as prolonged sickness, a funeral (including your own), a family wedding (not including your own), a school-excused absence and such like. On the other hand, a busy week, an appointment with a doctor that can reasonably be rescheduled, sleeping through an alarm and so on are not compelling excuses for me to give you an makeup exam. I recommend that you do not plan on “dropping” any tests so if you get a lower score on a later exam you don’t have to count that score toward your grade.

4.        Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be fully prosecuted. HW plagiarism (copying from a solutions manual or someone else’s HW) will result in a zero on any assignment; if it is repeated, you will get a zero on the entire HW score (of 50 points). Passing any test information to another student that hasn’t taken it is prohibited and dishonest, and will also be fully prosecuted. You will have two hours to complete each test when given in the Testing Center, though each will be written as possible to do in an hour or so.

5.        Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustment, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Support Center, room 206F, Sharwan Smith Center, 865-8022.  The Disability Support Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of these services and aids.

6.        Grading The total will be 500 or 600 points, including a total of 50 points from HW, 300 or 400 from the one-hour tests, and 150 from the final exam. The grading scale will be the following. Please note that I cannot raise a grade because of need, so it is up to you to get the grade you want. 

 

A

92

 

B

81

 

C

71

 

D

62

A-

88

 

B-

78

 

C-

69

 

D-

60

B+

85

 

C+

76

 

D+

66

 

F

0

 

 

 

Date

Section

Homework Assignment

Aug 24

1.1

1-11 odd (a,c,e,… on all)

26

1.2

1-7 odd (a,d,g,… all),8a,9,15

28

2.1

1,3,5,8(a,c,e,… all),10,11,15a,21(a,c)

31

2.2

3,6,7,9(a,c,… all),14,20ab,27,30ace,37,38ab

Sept. 2

2.3

1acfg,…),2ac,3ac,5,15,17,23,28ace,30a

4

2.4

1ac-5ac,7,8ac,9ae,11,12,14,30,31

7

 

J Labor Day Recess J

9

2.5

1,2,5,7,9

11

2.6

1ace,2,4,5,8,12

14

 

Review for Exam 1

16

 

Exam 1 (Sections 1.1 – 2.6)

18

3.1

1-15 odd (a,c,… all)

21

3.2

1-11 odd (a,c,… all)

23

3.4

1-9 odd (ac all),13ac,14ac,15,17,23

25

4.1

1,2,3ac,5ace,7ce,8ac,9ac,11ac,12,16

28

4.2

2,4,6ace,8ace,10ace,12ac,18ac,19ac,21ac,33

30

 

Extra Catch-up Day

Oct. 2

4.3

1-13 odd

5

4.4

1-17 odd (a,c,… all),20abd,22,23

7

4.5

1-9 odd (a,c,… all),11,15,17,25

9

 

Review for Exam 2

12

 

Exam 2 (Sections 3.1 – 4.5)

14

4.6

1-7 odd (a,c,… all),9,11ac,13ac,15

16

4.7

1-19,odd (a,c,… all),21,22,23,30

19

 

Harvest Holiday Recess

21

4.8

1-7 odd (a,c,… all),11,12

23

4.9

1-5 odd (a,c,… all),7a,9,13ace

26

5.1

1-23 odd,27,29

28

5.2

1,3,5

30

5.3

1-5 (a,c,… all)

Nov 3

5.3

6-10 (a,c,… all)

4

 

Review for Exam 3

6

 

Exam 3 (Sections 4.6 – 5.3)

9

5.4

1ace,2ac,3ac,4

11

6.1

1-13 odd,17,21

13

6.2

1-21 every other odd,22,23,30

16

6.3

1,3,5abd,7acf

18

6.3

9ace,11,15,19,21

20

6.5

1-13 odd

23

7.4

1-21 eoo

25-27

 

Thanksgiving Recess

30

 

Review for Exam 4

Dec. 2

 

Exam 4 (Sections 5.4-7.4)

4

 

Final Review

 

Wed., Dec 9

7-8:50 a.m.

Final Exam in Classroom