Linear Algebra and its Applications (third updated edition) by David Lay.

The book has a website with some supplementary material and instructions about using calculators/computer packages.

Problem Sets will be due on Mondays and Fridays and will be posted to the course webpage. The Problem Sets will consist of computational exercises and short explanatory problems.

Written Assignments will be due on Wednesdays. These problems either are more conceptually based or require explanation above and beyond those of routine exercises. Your solutions should consist of careful explanations written in complete sentences (augmented by mathematical symbolism where appropriate). These assignments will involve more challenging conceptual problems and eventually will include detailed and rigorous mathematical proofs. A major goal of these problems is to teach the fundamentals of mathematical language and mathematical inferences. As a result, they will be graded at a high standard which involves much more than getting the "correct answer".

Homework must be turned in at the beginning of class. Please take the time to write your solutions neatly and carefully! Your lowest two Problem Set scores and your lowest Written Assignment score will be dropped.

Unless you have a serious emergency which you bring to my attention before a homework assignment is due, late homework will not be accepted. However, please feel free to take advantage of the fact that several assignments scores are dropped to skip writing up a homework assignment if you have more pressing demands on your time.

There will be three in class exams and a scheduled three hour final exam.

In class exams dates: To be determined.

Final exam date: Tuesday, May 17 at 9:00am.

• Read the book. Do not simply read the examples and the big formulas in pretty boxes. Read the relevant sections before you come to class and read them again after class. Spend time understanding both the computations and the theoretical discussions.
• Compared to Calculus courses, a much smaller part of each class will be spent on computational examples. You will be expected to read additional examples in the book and master the necessary computational techniques through practice on the Problem Sets.
• Compared to Calculus courses, a much larger part of each class will be spent on the conceptual and theoretical aspects of the material. You will be expected to understand the derivations and proofs at a level beyond the ability to parrot them back to me.
• The more abstract topics are challenging and take a great deal of self-study to master. Set aside study time to simply think about concepts in addition to the time you give yourself to work through homework.

Homework: You must cite other books or online sources if you use them to help solve a problem. If you enjoy working in groups, I encourage you to work with others in the class to solve the homework problems, but you must write on your homework the names of those with whom you worked. If you work with others, your homework must be written up independently in your own words. You can not write a communal solution and all copy it down. You can not read one person's solution and alter it slightly in notation/exposition. Discussing ideas and/or writing parts of computations together on whiteboards or scratch paper is perfectly fine, but you need to take those ideas and write the problem up on your own.

Exams: You may neither give nor receive help. Written notes and computers are not permitted, although you may use a (non-graphing) scientific calculator.

Students with learning, physical, or psychiatric disabilities enrolled in this course that may need disability-related classroom accommodations are encouraged to make an office appointment with me in first few weeks of class. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the Associate Dean and Director of Academic Advising, Joyce Stern, located on the third floor of the JRC.

If you have a religious observance that conflicts with your participation in the course, please come speak with me as soon as possible to discuss appropriate accommodations.