Course Syllabus
Math 320 - Linear Algebra
Fall 2011
Text: Linear Algebra with Applications (4th Edition) Otto Bretscher.
The Course: This course will be an introduction to the formal and practical study of linear algebra. Linear algebra is a wonderful subject that perfectly straddles the worlds of applied and theoretical mathematics. Undoubtedly, the subject is extraordinarily applicable to almost all quantitative fields including amongst others: engineering, statistics, physics, chemistry and biology. At the same time, the basic ideas of linear algebra give rise to beautiful ideas that can be abstracted and the whole theory can be understood in terms of algebraic structure. We will investigate all sides of this fascinating field.
Reading: Reading your textbook is essential to success in this class. Reading assignments will be included with homework assignments and must be completed before the lecture on that topic. Read slowly with a pencil and paper in hand. Try to fill in missing steps as you read. Always try to work out examples before you read text solutions. You will be expected to be ready to discuss the material you read in class, and this will be part of the participation portion of your grade.
Participation: Each student is expected to be a productive member of the class. This means you should expect to attend each class period and be prepared to discuss the material. Excessive absence or unpreparedness will result in deduction of points in this area. Participation will be worth 30 points of your final grade.
Oral Presentation: Each student will give a 15 minutes long presentation outside of our regular class meeting time. The presentation will take place in my office at the white board. No PowerPoint presentations are allowed. You will be given a chance to sign up for a topic during the semester. This presentation will be worth 30 points of your final grade.
Homework: You will be assigned daily homework assignments. These homework assignments are where the bulk of your learning will occur and you should set aside a significant amount of time to work on them. You are allowed and indeed encouraged to work on your homework with other people, however what you turn in should be your own understanding of how to do the problems and should not just be a copy of someone else's work. Your homework must follow the homework guidelines given in class. Part of your homework will be reading and commenting on other student's solutions.
There also may be occasional quizzes which will count towards your homework grade. There may be some announced short quizzes on material we covered in class. The quizzes will count towards your homework grade. The homework for the course will be worth 150 points of your total grade.
Exams:
There will be 2 fifty-five minute exams during the course. The first will
be on Friday, October 7 and the second on Friday, November 11.
The material it will cover will be announced on the
website and in class ahead of time. Make-up exams will
not be given. If you have a legitimate excuse you may use your final
exam score to make up for missing exam scores. Each exam will be worth
100 points.
There will be a comprehensive 2 hour final given on
Friday, December 16 at 2 PM for section 1
and
Wednesday, December 14 at 2 PM for section 2.
The final is worth 150 points.
Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of this class students should be able to:
Grading: A tentative grading scale is as follows:
| Range | Grade | Range | Grade | Range | Grade |
| 93%-100% | A | 90%-92% | A- | ||
| 87%-89% | B+ | 83%-86% | B | 80%-82% | B- |
| 77%-79% | C+ | 73%-76% | C | 70%-72% | C- |
| 60%-69% | D | 0%-59% | F |
This scale may be lowered if it is deemed to be unfair, but is guaranteed not to be raised.
Disability: For accommodations due to a disability please contact me within the first 2 weeks.
Academic Honesty: Cheating and plagiarism are in violation of USD's academic integrity policy and are taken very seriously. Make sure you are aware of this policy.
Have a Good Semester!