Math 524, Linear Algebra
(4:10-5:25 PM WF in C-8)


Office hours during exam week and beyond:
 New grading policy: I will compute your total score in the class the following way. I will add up all your scores prior to the final exam according to the formula already announced. Then I will weight the final by the percentage that you are missing from 100%. Finally, I will curve the class and assign letter grades. This is called a resurrection final and it allows everyone in the class to achieve 100% by scoring 100% on the final.  This should motivate you to do your absolute best on the final.

Here is an example of how this works. Let's say Lisa Simpson has done well throughout the semester and her HWs, hourly exam, and other assignments add up to 70% out of the possible 80%. This is 30% away from 100%. She does well on the final too and scores 90%. Her total score in the class is 70%+30%(90%)=97%, which certainly earns her an A. Bart Simpson on the other hand has not been doing well. His HWs, hourly exam, and other assignments only add up to 30% out of the possible 80%. But Bart gets his act together and scores 90% on the final, just like Lisa. Bart's total score in the class is 30%+70%(90%)=93%, which is at least an A-, possibly an A.

This system still rewards Lisa for her good performance throughout the semester. Suppose Lisa and Bart don't do so well on the final and both score only 50%. Then Lisa's total score in the class is 70%+30%(50%)=85%, while Bart's is 30%+70%(50%)=65%. While both Lisa and Bart can get an A by doing well on the final, every point Bart misses hurts his grade more than a point that Lisa misses. So Lisa can be confident about getting a reasonable grade in the class even if she doesn't do so well on the final because she already proved herself to be a good student. Bart doesn't have that comfort.

Syllabus: Here is the syllabus.

Blackboard: This class is also on blackboard.

Lecture notes: Here are the notes about binary operations leading up to fields.

Homework: The homework is due at 5:30 PM on the due date in the envelope on my office door.

Assigned
 Due
 Read
 Exercises
9/6
 9/13
 Lecture notes
 Homework 1
9/13
 9/22
 Lecture notes,
Appendices A, B, D in textbook
 Homework 2
9/22
 9/29
 Appendix C, 1.2
 Exercises 3 and 7 on p.5 in the lecture notes on operations and fields
1.2.12, 18
9/29
 10/6
 1.3, 4
 1.2.19
1.3.1, 3, 23, 30
10/6
 10/18
 1.4-6
 1.4.12-16
10/20
 10/27
 1.6,7, 2.1
 1.5.14-16
10/27
 11/3
 1.6,7, 2.1
 1.6.11, 14, 15, 20
11/4
 11/15
 1.6,7, 2.1
 1.6.21, 23, 29, 30
11/17
2.1
 Homework holiday. Use the time to catch up on homework and get a start on your presentation.
11/22
 12/1
 2.1, 2, 4
 2.1.13, 20, 31 (Hint: Use what you learned in 1.6.29 and the Dimension Theorem), 37, 38
Note: We haven't covered enough material to do 2.1.31 yet. So you may want to hold back on it until next Wed.

Exam solutions:
 The problem of the fortnight: The Mathematics Department in San Diego posts a new fun problem every two weeks.  You can submit solutions to them by mail, or if you happen to go to SD, in person.  Winners receive prizes.

The Putnam Competition: This is not strictly related to this course. The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition will be held on Dec 2 this year (it is administered locally right here on campus). The exercises primarily test the ability to construct rigorous mathematical arguments to solve (difficult) unfamiliar problems and not lexical knowledge. If you like proofs and enjoy the challenge of thinking about such problems, I encourage you to sign up for the competition by contacting me. Here is an archive of past exercises and solutions.

California Mathematics Council conference: Here is the official website of the conference.  The field trip I am organizing there will be on Nov 4.

Useful links: The links below lead to sites with encyclopedias of math terms.  You can use them to find definitions, examples, and some theorems.
Some scholarship opportunities for prospective teachers: