MATH 304-508, Fall 2012, INFORMATION
INSTRUCTOR Dr. Clarence Wilkerson
OFFICE Blocker 623A
E-MAIL cwilkers@math.tamu.edu
URL http://www.math.tamu.edu/˜cwilkers/Math304F12/
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CLASS TIME TThr 11:10–12:25 PM , Blocker 149
OFFICE HOURS MW 1:30 – 2:30 or by appointment. (This is tentative)
HELP SESSIONS Sunday-Thursday, 6:00–8:00pm, Blocker 113
PREREQUISITES Math 152.
BOOK Linear Algebra with Applications by Steven J. Leon 8th ed. (2010).
GRADING Your grade will be determined by two tests (100 pts each),
final (150 pts), and weekly homework (50 pts) and quizzes (80 pts).
90%–100%==A, 80%–89%=B, etc.
HOMEWORK and QUIZZES HW will be assigned and collected on
Tuesday. Late homework will not be accepted, but your two lowest
scores will be dropped. There will be a short (10 minute) quiz on a
HW type problem each non-test week. The lowest two will be dropped.
COURSE DESCRIPTION Introductory course in linear algebra covering abstract ideas of vector space and linear transformation as well as
models and applications of these concepts, such as systems of linear
equations, matrices and determinants. The theory of eigenvalues and
eignvectors will be one of the major applications covered. MATH 323
is designed to be a more demanding version of this course.
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will become proficient in the topics listed in the Course Description with particular emphasis on mastering computational aspects of the material.
SPECIAL SERVICES Students with disabilities can get assistance from
the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (845-1637).
SYLLABUS The following is approximate and subject to change depending on the needs of the class. About 5 days will be used for tests and
reviews. Material for the remaining lectures is as follows:
Week 1: Systems of linear equations. 1.1;
Gaussian elimination. Leon 1.1-1.2
Applications of systems of linear equations. Leon 1.2
Week 2: Row echelon form. Gauss-Jordan reduction. Leon 1.1-1.2
Matrix algebra. Leon 1.3
Diagonal matrices. Inverse matrix. Leon 1.3
Week 3: Inverse matrix (continued). Leon 1.3-1.4
Inverse matrix (continued). Elementary matrices. Transpose of a matrix. Leon 1.3-1.4
Determinants. Leon 2.1-2.2
Week 4: Evaluation of determinants. Leon 2.1-2.2
Subspaces of vector spaces. Span. Leon 3.1-3.2
Span (continued). Linear independence. Leon 3.2-3.3
Linear independence (continued). Leon 3.3
Week 5: Basis of a vector space. Leon 3.3-3.4
Basis and dimension. Leon 3.4
Basis and coordinates. Leon 3.5
Week 6: Rank and nullity of a matrix. Leon 3.6
Linear transformations. Kernel and range. Leon 4.1
General linear equations. Matrix transformations. Leon 4.1-4.2
Week 7: Matrix of a linear transformation. Leon 4.2-4.3
Similarity of matrices. Leon 4.3
Orthogonal subspaces. Leon 5.2
Orthogonal projection. Least squares problems. Leon 5.2-5.3
Week 8: Norms and inner products. Leon 5.4
Inner product spaces. Leon 5.4
Orthogonal sets. The Gram-Schmidt process. Leon 5.5-5.6
Week 9: The Gram-Schmidt process (continued). Leon 5.6
Eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Characteristic equation. Leon 6.1
Eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a linear operator. Leon 6.1, 6.3
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Week 10: Bases of eigenvectors. Diagonalization. Leon 6.1, 6.3
Matrix exponentials. Leon 6.2-6.3
Complex eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Symmetric and orthogonal mat
rices. Leon 5.5, 6.3-6.4
Week 11: Rotations in space. Leon 5.5, 6.3
Orthogonal polynomials. Leon 5.7
IMPORTANT DATES Note the following dates.
Friday November 2: Q-drop day.
Final exam, Friday, December 7 ,3pm – 5pm.
MAKE-UPS These will only be given in cases authorized under TAMU
Regulations. If you miss an exam you must contact me immediately.
SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY Copying work done by others, either
in-class or out of class, is an act of scholastic dishonesty and will
be prosecuted to the full extent allowed by University policy. Collaboration on assignments, either in-class or out-of-class, is forbidden
unless permission to do so is granted by your instructor. For more
information on university policies regarding scholastic dishonesty, see
University Student Rules.
COPYRIGHT POLICY All printed materials disseminated in class or
on the web are protected by Copyright laws. One xerox copy (or
download from the web) is allowed for personal use. Multiple copies
or sale of any of these materials is strictly prohibited.
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