21-241: Matrix Algebra
Description
Linear algebra covers material which is essential to anyone who does any
mathematical computation in engineering and the sciences. In application
and in class, the subject divides naturally into two parts: computation
and formal structure. These are intimately related, but operationally
distinct: on the one hand, computations with matrices and linear
equations can be made into efficient algorithms, in mental code or in
computer code, and, once created, these can be carried out with little
attention to the theory. On the other band, in order to understand, to
choose and then correctly optimize the applications of linear algebra,
it is necessary to see the underlying formal algebraic structure. What
does this mean for this course? Your challenge will be to master the
algorithmic aspects of the subject, without thinking that this is all
that there is to the subject, and to deal with the underlying formal
structure by using the concrete model of matrices and vectors as a guide
and as a tool.
Textbook
The text for this course is Linear Algebra with Applications by Otto
Bretscher.
Instructors
Dr. David Handron
Office: WEH 6121
e-mail: handron@andrew.cmu.edu
Telephone: 268-5913
Office Hours: 2:30-4:00 Tuesday, or by appointment.
Tuesday, October 24: 6:15-7:15 (approximately)
Dr. David Kinderlehrer
Office: WEH 7208
e-mail: davidk@andrew.cmu.edu
Telephone: 268-5729
Office Hours: