Math 308 Matrix Algebra with Applications (Spring 2013)

Review session:

There will be a pre-final review on Wed June 5 at 4:30-6:30 pm in Padelford C-36. That is beside the Math Advising office on the lower level of the building my office is in.

Spring 2013 Midterm. Answers here. The results for the True/False questions are Answers here .

Fall 2012 Final Answers. Here.

Fall 2012 Midterm Answers. Here.

Summer 2012 Final. I apologize there are so few answers here. I haven't had time to write more... :(

Textbook and Syllabus. The textbook is ``Linear Algebra: A Modern Introduction" by David Poole; 3rd edition. We will cover most topics in Chapters 2,3,5, and part of 7. We will not cover Chapter 1 in class but you are expected to know it since most of it is already covered in Math 126 or an equivalent course on multivariable calculus. I suggest you read Chapter 1 the first week of the course and come to my office hours if you have questions about it. Approximate syllabus.

CLUE: This is an abbreviation for The Center for Learning and Undergraduate Enrichment. CLUE is a free tutoring service for students held 7PM-12AM, Sunday through Thursday nights, in the Mary Gates Hall Commons. Starting October 1, they offer math tutoring in the HUB Commuter Commons on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 2pm. Along with drop-in tutoring, we also hold review sessions before exams, midterms, and final exams.

Important dates: The Midterm is on Monday May 6. You need a blue/green book and a scantron (the thing with the bubbles you fill in). You can buy a scantron sheet at U Bookstore and at the newstand near By George Cafe, and probably lots of other places. The Final is 8:30-10:20 on Monday June 10. You will need a bubblesheet, and either a blue book or green book for the exams.

Office Hours: Wednesday 12:35-2:45 in Padelford C-436, and by appointment.

I often find office hours the most enjoyable part of the course. I get a chance to know you, you get a chance to know me. My job is to help you learn this material. You are often likely to feel lost and perhaps stupid. That is normal. I often feel lost and stupid when I am working in a new area of math. It is part of the process. But I can provide you with guidance and help. If I can stretch some medical metaphors (my wife is a physician), it is no good coming to see the doctor or start taking the medicine once the illness is terminal. Catch it in the early stages, at the first sign of a sneeze or ache, and the chances for recovery are good. (I am not as fearsome as I might appear---remember that I was once your age, feeling small on a big campus, and that I have experienced and continue to experience the struggles we all have as part of life. And, heck, the math struggles are among the smaller ones! So, why not start praticing in the small arena of math to say "I need help".)

My Course Notes. I have taught Math 308 many times and have gradually assembled some notes for the course that give my own presentation of the material. My own notes might be useful to you. Sometimes one person's explnation will suit you better than another's. If you find typos in my notes I would be very happy to hear about them. If you have suggestions for improvement or would like me to explain a little more about some topic please let me know. Thanks!

Definitions. Definitions are the foundation on which mathematics is built. There are many definitions in this course. More than in any course you have previously had. If you don't know the definitions forwards, backwards, and sideways, you will certainly fail this course. Start learning them the first day of class. Build your own list of definitions. Review them regularly. One reason students find this course so difficult is that they don't make a real effort to understand the definitions. Or, they leave that affort too late. You must begin the first week of the course and constantly monitor yourself. You can monitor your progress by being honest with yourself when I write things on the board. If you don't understand a word I use, ask. There will be others in the class who don't understand it either. By asking you do everyone a favor. Even many of those who think they understand a definition don't.

The document definitions consists of my response to an email from a student who is asking whether he has the correct definitions for some of the terms that arise in Linear Algebra. Mostly the student is close but not close enough---all it takes to sink a boat is one hole, and the same holds for definitions: either it is correct or it is wrong. I always ask for a lot of definitions in my exams because they are so important. If you don't know the definitions you will surely fail this course.

Here is another note about definitions and comments on various errors made by students.

Set notation and language. We will use the basic language of sets and functions in this course so I have written some notes about what you need to know. You can take an online test to see how well you understand some of the ideas.

Grading. Your grade will be based on the homework, which will be done via webassign, the midterm, and the final. Your homework scores will contribute 10%, the midterm will contribute 20%, and the final will contribute 70%.

Pop Quizzes. There will be unannounced 10-15 minute quizzes every 1 or 2 weeks (depending on my energy level and free time). Here are some examples.

I have posted some old midterms some of which include answers, and comments on the questions, answers, and common errors. Here is some good advice: print off all these old midterms at the beginning of the quarter and study them assiduously. Each week look at the questions that relate to the topics covered that week. See if you can do the questions. Check that you understand my answers and comments. Ask questions if you don't understand. Ignore this advice at your peril.

2003 midterm with answers and comments on incorrect answers.

2009 midterm with answers and comments.

Fall 2009 midterm with answers and comments. On this midterm, most people did well with the definitions. The True/False questions were a killer though. Part A revealed a lot of weaknesses that were not revealed by the other questions. The final targeted some of the areas of weakness so contained variations on the following midterm questions: Part A: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8; Part C: 1,4,6,7,10,11.)

Fall 2010 midterm with answers.

Summer 2011 Midterm with some answers.

Fall 2011 midterm solutions and comments.

2012 Summer midterm with some solutions. It would be really useful if you sent me an email saying which other questions you would like to see answers to, and why. By ``why'' I mean that you should tell me what difficulties you run into in attempting to answer the question.

An extra long practice midterm.

Another practice Midterm.

I want you to know what I want you to know. I want you to be able to answer the questions on these midterms. At least 75% of the questions on your midterm will be the same as those on previous midterms.

Final. Here is an old practice final. It is far longer than the real one will be, but you will get a sense of your abilities by trying it. And another old final and another and the Fall 2011 Final. I can not overemphasize the importance of going through the midterm with my answers and comments in detail. You should then try to retake the midterm under test conditions and see how well you do. I would not be surprised if you get close to 100%, if not on the first attempt, maybe on the second. You should do the same with the final.

Other important information. As you will see there are some multiple choice questions and some True/False questions. You will need a purple ``Standard Answer Sheet'', which you can buy at the bookstore in the Hub, or on the Ave, or at the Newsstand in the Hub, and at other places around campus. You will need a Number 2 Pencil to fill in the bubbles on the Answer Sheet. You must also put yuor section and your student ID number on it. Make sure you come to the exam knowing those things.