Math 324: Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory II

Math 324: Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory II Spring 2015, Section 01, CRN 1032

Schedule: MWF 10:00am-10:50am
Location: Schumacher 109
Text: Linear Algebra and its Applications (5th edition), by Lay, Lay, and McDonald

Professor: Jonathan Brown
Office: Fitzelle Hall 260
Email: jonathan.brown@oneonta.edu
Phone: 436-3720
Office Hours: Wednesday 1:00-1:50, Thursday 10:00-10:50, Friday 11:00-11:50, or by appointment
Course website: http://employees.oneonta.edu/brownjs/

SUNY General Education Attributes: LA

Catalog Description:
Finite dimensional vector spaces; linear transformations and their matrix representations; eigenvalues; rational and Jordan canonical forms; inner product spaces; quadratic and bilinear forms; applications.
Prerequisites: Math 323 with a grade of C or better.

Course Content: We will be covering a variety of topics in pure and applied Linear Algebra. Potential pure topics include eigenspaces, diagonalization, coordinates for a linear transformation, generalized eigenspaces, Jordan Normal Form of a matrix, Rational Canonical Form of a matrix, inner products/bilinear forms, quadratic forms, dual vector spaces, tensor products, quotient vector spaces, exterior products, and important matrix groups. Potential applied topics include mixing problems, Markov chains, higher dimensional derivatives, optimization of multi-variable functions, differential equations, polynomial interpolation, solving linear recurrence relatations, discrete Fourier transforms, matrix factorization, least squares best fit line, and image processing. I am also willing to consider including subjects suggested by students.

Grades:
Homework: 23%
2 in class exams: 23% each
Final: 31%

Your letter grade will be determined from the following heuristic:
A : 93 - 100
A-: 90 - 92.99
B+: 87 - 89.99
B : 83 - 86.99
B-: 80 - 82.99
C+: 77 - 79.99
C :73 - 76.99
C-: 70 - 72.99
D+: 67 - 69.99
D : 63 - 66.99
D-: 60 - 62.99
E : 0 - 59.99

Homework:
Problem sets to be turned in will be assigned on an approximate biweekly basis. These will be collected and graded.
Suplementary homework from the text and other sources will be assigned regularly. This homework will not be collected or graded, however it is essential that you do these problems. Learning, development, and growth require time and sustained effort. Most of the knowledge and skills you obtain from this course will come from the time you spend with these problems. Furthermore the exam problems will sometimes closely resemble (or even be copied from) the problems from the text. This list of suplementary textbook problems is available on Blackboard.

Extra Credit Project:
Students are encouraged to work on an extra credit project. This could entail writing a computer program to implement some of the algorithms we learn about in class, or writing a several page paper about a relavent topic. Any student wishing to do this must first write a proposal for the project they want to do, and get my approval for the project. It will count as much as any of the homework assigments, which will probably wind up being about 3% of your overall grade.

Tentative Exam Schedule:
Exam 1: 2/26 (Friday)
Exam 2: 4/15 (Friday)

Final Exam Schedule:
Friday May 6, 8:00am - 10:30am.

Attendance Policy:
Missing class is a very bad idea. Anyone who misses more than 25% of classes starting in week 2 may be removed from the course.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures:
In the event of an emergency evacuation, classes meeting in this building are directed to reassemble in the IRC Lobby so that all persons can be accounted for. Complete details of the College's emergency evacuation, shelter-in-place, and other emergency procedures can be found at http://www.oneonta.edu/security/.

ADA (American with Disabilities Act):
Students Diagnosed with a Disability, all individuals who are diagnosed with a disability are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, you may be entitled to certain accommodations within this class. If you are diagnosed with a disability, please make and appointment to meet with Student Disability Services, 209 Alumni Hall, ext. 2137. All students with the necessary supporting documentation will be provided appropriate accommodations as determined by the SDS Office.

Getting Help
You are expected to spend anywhere between 6 and 12 hours per week outside of class on the material. The amount of time necessary to pass, or obtain the grade you expect, depends heavily from person to person. Typically, a student spending less than 6 hours per week outside the class should expect to earn a "C" or worse.

If you are struggling with the material, be aware that you have options:
(1) Struggle a bit. Part of the learning process is the internal struggle of trying to understand how all of the pieces fit together. It can be frustrating, but it can also be rewarding. If you make progress, however slow, then it is time well spent. If you feel that your time is not productive, then you should talk to me, or other students, about how you can make better use of your study time.
(2) Visit my office hours. It is part of my job to be available to help you understand the material. There is not enough time in the classroom to get everything across, and you are not expected to do it all on your own.
(3) Find alternate instructional material online. Different people have different styles, and while you might have found my way of discussing something to be confusing, there may be someone else out there who can discuss it in a away that makes sense to you. There are a number of free text books, lessons, and video lectures available online. Feel free to ask me about other sources.
(4) Talk to your fellow students who are taking or who have taken the class. Learning is a social activity; you are not expected to do it all on your own.
(5) If after availing yourself of the above options, you still find that you are struggling regularly to understand the material, find a regular tutor. If you are in this situation, you will likely have to spend significant extra time on the material to ensure a passing grade.