MAT 234: Linear Algebra

• Syllabus
• Plan and Assignments
• Projects:
  • Project 1 (Due 3/21)
  • Project 2 (Due 4/20)
• Final exam: April 30th, 10:10 a.m. - 12:10 p.m.

• Daily Agendas

  Chapter One: Day 1 (1/9): Welcome! Day 2 (1/11): Systems of Linear Equations Day 3 (1/13): Describing the Solution Set Day 4 (1/18): More Describing the Solution Set Day 5 (1/20): General = Particular + Homogeneous Day 6 (1/23): Geometrical Form of Solution Day 7 (1/25): Length and Angle Measures Day 8 (1/27): Length and Angle Measures (reprise) Day 9 (1/30): Gauss-Jordan Reduction Day 10 (2/1): Gauss-Jordan Reduction/Vector spaces

  Chapter Two: Day 10 (2/1): Gauss-Jordan Reduction/Vector spaces Day 11 (2/3): Exam 1 Day 12 (2/6): Vector spaces and subspaces Day 13 (2/8): Linear Independence Day 14 (2/10): Basis Day 15 (2/13): Basis Day 16 (2/15): Dimension Day 17 (2/17): Dimension Day 18 (2/20): Row and column spaces Day 19 (2/22): Row and column spaces

  Chapter Three: Day 20 (2/24): Isomorphism between Vector Spaces Day 21 (2/27): Isomorphism and dimension Day 22 (2/29): Homomorphisms Exam 2 (3/2) Day 24 (3/12): Homomorphisms Day 25 (3/14): Homomorphisms Day 26 (3/16): Homomorphisms as Matrices Day 27 (3/19): Matrices as homomorphisms Day 28 (3/21): Matrices as homomorphisms Day 29 (3/23): Matrices as homomorphisms Day 30 (3/26): Matrix Operations Day 31 (3/28): Matrix Inverse Day 32 (3/30): Linear Regression Day 33 (4/2): Change of Basis Day 34 (4/4): Review Day 35 (4/6): Exam 3 Day 36 (4/9): Change of Basis

  Chapter Four: Day 37 (4/11): Determinants Day 38 (4/13): Determinants Day 39 (4/16): Determinants and Similarity Chapter Five: Day 40 (4/18): Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues Day 41 (4/20): Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues Day 42 (4/23): Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues Day 43 (4/25): Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues Day 44 (4/27): Review

Links:

• I really like the freely available pdf viewer pdf-xchange: it handles the back and forth between the book and the answers much better. Give it a try. It also allows you to highlight pdfs, add post-it notes, etc.
• Publically available linear algebra textbooks:
  • Here is the version of the text I'm using (it's a little old), along with the corresponding answers.
  • Here is the homepage of our text, Linear Algebra (Jim Hefferon)
    • You'll want to get the whole book Linear Algebra, along with the answers to exercises. Note: save the two files in the same directory (without changing file names), so that clicking on an exercise will send you to its answer and clicking on an answer will send you to its exercise.
    • You can also get the source. You need to know LaTeX and MetaPost to work with it, although there is a readme file to get you going.
  • A First Course in Linear Algebra (Robert Beezer)
  • Both of these texts emphasize the use of SAGE, a freely available Symbolic Manipulator (like Mathematica)
  • Paul Dawson's on-line notes
  • Other freely available linear algebra texts
• If you like, you can use Blackboard for discussion of homework. I won't use it, however, preferring to handle my own web content.
• The text we frequently use is Ken Lay's: here's the textbook home page, including the chapter 1 of the study guide.
• Overview of TI-89 functions for linear algebra (untested!)
• TI calc functions for linear algebra (thanks Nick!). Here's a local copy of the code, and of the original file.
• How Google uses linear algebra to rate web pages
• MATLAB curriculum exchange (courses using MATLAB)

• Octaveweb
  • Simple example of Octave
  • Octave Examples for Numerically Solving ODEs
  • 2-d plotting

• Additional web resources:
  • WebSVD
  • A snippet of matlab code for row reduction
  • Visual Linear Algebra

Notes:

• Taking tests in my classes
• Free tutoring for NKU students is available from the the learning assistance center: call 5475 before problems arise!
• Women in Transition (WIT) supports non-traditional female students, juggling school, work, and family. Call the Women's Center at 572-6497 for more information.
• One-stop shopping for scholarships at NKU
• Feel free to email me with your questions.