COURSE: MATH 307, Section D: Matrices and Linear Algebra
Section meets Tuesday and Thursday from 2:10 PM to 3:30 PM in Carver 002.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Name: Zach Voller
e-mail:
zvoller@iastate.edu
Course webpage: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~zvoller/math307/math307.htm
Office: Carver 462
Office Hours: T, W, and Th: 1:00 to 2:00 PM
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Prerequisites: Two semesters of calculus (Math 165 and 166).
Text: David C. Lay, Linear Algebra and its applications, 4th edition
Material Covered: Systems of linear equations, determinants, vector spaces, inner product spaces, linear
transformations, orthogonally, least-squares methods, eigenvalues and eigenvectors with an emphasis on
methods and techniques.
PLAGIARISM/CHEATING POLICY:
If plagiarism or cheating occurs, you will be assigned a zero for that test or assignment, and you risk being
withdrawn from the course. The tests and the final exam are proctored; they are closed-book; notes or
formula cards are not permitted. Copying someone else’s work is cheating.
HOMEWORK, QUIZZES, AND EXAM POLICIES:

Even though I encourage using a calculators to check arithmetic on homework, you must
show your work to get full credit. If you write down an answer and don’t show your work,
you will receive no credit for that problem.

There will be no make-ups on the quizzes or exams unless the absence is excused. I must be
informed and arrangements for the makeup exam/quiz must be made before any event that
will cause an absence. If notification before the event is not possible then documentation will
be required in order for any such absence to be excused.

Assignments will not be accepted late under any circumstances. This course moves extremely
fast, and it is not possible to grade homework in a timely fashion if homework is accepted
late. If you do not hand in an assignment at the end of class the day it is due, you get a zero
on that assignment.
HOMEWORK:
 The key to success in this course is doing your homework.
 Homework from the text will be assigned. These problems will be collected after each exam and
will be graded on a completion basis. A valid attempt must be made to solve the problem in order
to receive credit for the problem. I will look at every problem in order to enforce this requirement.
That said, problems on the weekly home work quizzes will be taken directly from these problems.
Thus it is extremely important that you do these problems after each class.
 Worksheets will be handed out after certain sections are covered in class. We will spend time in
class working on some of the problems on the worksheets. The worksheets will be collected and
graded. These worksheets will represent the bulk of your homework grade, and should be
completed in a very timely fashion.
QUIZZES:
 There will be a weekly homework quiz.
 The problems will come directly from the assigned book problems, and you will be allowed to use
your book homework on these quizzes.
 You will only be given 15 minutes for these quizzes. Thus you will NOT have time to figure out
every problem on the quiz. The quizzes are intended to reward those that do their homework in a
timely fashion. They are more of an exercise in copying than a typical quiz. Thus it is extremely
important that you stay current on your required bookwork.
EXAMS:
 There will be three in class exams:
1.) Chapters 1 and 2
2.) Chapters 3 and 4
3.) Chapters 5 and 6.
 The final will be comprehensive, and the Chapter 7 material will be tested on this exam as well.
 I will give you at least three days’ notice before any exam, and arrangements for a makeup need to
be made before the examination date.
 The exams will have both a calculator and a non-calculator portion. The non-calculator portion
will be completed and turned in first. You will then be given the calculator portion. I reserve the
right to make one exam a take-home exam.
 The final will be comprehensive and the date, time, and location will be announced at least one
week in advance.
OTHER EXPECTATIONS:
 You are expected to participate in all classes. I love to answer question, and I reserve the right to
call on any person at random. It is a good way for me to get instantaneous feedback on your
comprehension of the material covered. Furthermore, class participation and attendance will be
used to determine any grades that I feel are border-line at the end of the semester.
 If you are absent, it is your responsibility to catch up on missed work. I will post all of my lecture
notes on-line after class as well as solutions to all worksheets and quizzes. The lecture notes are
for my own personal use during lecture. Thus it is possible that they will contain mistakes. Also,
I will give more detailed explanations in class. They are intended to help you review the material,
and they are NOT a substitute for class attendance.
 I expect you to respect myself and your classmates while in the classroom. This means that all cell
phones should be turned OFF during class. I consider texting while I am lecturing very rude and
distracting. I'm sure that you would not accept me texting while I am trying to teach the material,
and I expect the same consideration. If there is a valid reason why you need to have your cell
phone on please come and talk to me about such issues.
GRADING:
Grades in this course will be determined by the percentage of total points possible as listed below.
Percentages for letter grades are given below.
Homework:
25% of the final grade
Quizzes:
10% of the final grade
Three Unit Exams:
15% each of final grade
Final Exam:
20% of final grade
-----------------------------------------------------------------------Total:
100%
GRADING SCALE:
A
92 – 100%
A-
90 – 91%
B+
87 – 89%
B
82 – 86%
B-
80 – 81%
C+
77 – 79%
C
72 – 76%
C-
70 – 71%
D+
67 – 69%
D
62 – 66%
D-
60 – 61%
F
0 – 59%
SPECIAL NEEDS:
If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Disability Resources (DR)
office for information on appropriate policies and procedures. DR is located on the main floor of the
Student Services Building, Room 1076; their phone is 515-294-6624.
NOTE: I cannot give accommodations on any exam and/or homework without a SAAR form on file in the
Mathematics Department office. It is the student’s responsibility to self-declare their need for
accommodations at the Disability Resource office. Documentation will be required, and this process can
take a few weeks to complete. Please, do NOT wait until the week of the exam before you start this
process.