Instructor: Joseph Zielinski
Office: Wean Hall 7101
Office hours: By appointment
Class times: MWF 3:30pm-4:20pm
Class location: Posner Hall 152
Vectors and matrices, the solution of linear systems of equations, vector spaces and subspaces, orthogonality, determinants, real and complex eigenvalues and eigenvectors, linear transformations.
Linear Algebra and its Applications, Fifth Edition by David C. Lay, Steven R. Lay, and Judi J. Mcdonald. Students are not required to purchase this book. Students should purchase an access code to Pearson MyMathLab. This will allow you to complete the homework assignments, and also includes an online version of the textbook.
There will be homework assignments for each section, accounting for 30% of the total grade for the course. Homework will be completed using the MyMathLab software, and will be due six days after it is assigned. Late homework will be permitted through the following weekend, though there will be a 10% penalty for any problems completed after the original due date. Recitation will be held on Tuesdays. A combination of attendance, quizzes, and problem sets during these periods will account for 10% of the total grade for the course. There will also be two midterm exams, each worth 15%, and a final exam worth 30%.
Each meeting of the recitation section will be scored individually. A student's grade for this component will be the average of their 10 highest weekly scores.
The first midterm will be held on September 28.
A schedule will be maintained, listing the topics for the upcoming week. Students are expected to read the corresponding sections of the book before the lecture in which that material is covered.
Students are encouraged to work with one another on the homework problems, and are free to consult other textbooks to further their understanding of the material. However, the work that is submitted for credit must be completed by the student alone.
I ask that you turn off your mobile devices and close your laptops during class.
It is unlikely that I will make further accommodations for late work. It is also very unlikely that I will allow a missed exam to be made-up. Exceptions may be made for serious circumstances with ample forewarning, or for severe circumstances.
This syllabus is subject to change. Please consult this webpage regularly for the most current version.