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Instructor:
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Dr. Buchanan
Office: Wickersham 113, Phone: 872-3659, FAX: 871-2320
Office Hours: 10:00AM-11:00AM (MTuWThF),
or by appointment
Email:
Robert.Buchanan@millersville.edu
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Description:
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An introduction to linear algebra: matrices,
row reduction, inverses of matrices, determinants, solution theory for
systems of equations, Euclidean vector spaces, Gram-Schmidt
orthogonalization, inner product spaces, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and
diagonalization, abstract vector spaces and linear transformations.
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Objectives:
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Learn the basic algorithms for matrix computation.
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Understand the solution theory for systems of
linear equations, and its connection with matrix algebra.
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Learn about the major structures and techniques
of linear algebra, such as determinants, inner products, and
eigenvectors.
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Encounter abstract vector spaces and linear
transformations.
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Master proofs and mathematical abstraction in
the context of a specific area of mathematics.
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Textbook:
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Howard Anton and Chris Rorres, Elementary Linear Algebra:
Applications Version
(7th edition).
New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,
1994,
ISBN 0-471-58741-9.
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Coverage:
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Systems of Linear Equations and Matrices (Chap. 1)
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Determinants (Chap. 2)
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Euclidean Vector Spaces (Chap. 4)
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General Vector Spaces (Chap. 5)
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Inner Product Spaces (Chap. 6)
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Eigenvalues, Eigenvectors (Chap. 7)
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Linear Transformations (Chap. 8)
Chap. 3, "Vectors in 2-space and 3-space," will not be covered since
that material is part of MATH 261 (Calculus III).
Students should review this on their own as necessary.
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Prerequisites:
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MATH 261 (MATH 220 recommended)
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Attendance:
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Students are expected to attend all class meetings.
There is an inverse correlation between a student's number of absences
and final grade.
This is due to the fact that daily contact with the material is
essential to understanding Linear Algebra.
Getting the material second hand from someone else's notes is simply
not the same as hearing it for yourself.
If you must be absent from class you are expected to complete class
requirements (tests and/or homework assignments) prior to the absence.
Students who miss a test should provide a valid excuse, otherwise you
will not be allowed to make up the test.
Tests should be made up within one week of their scheduled date.
No final exam exemptions.
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Homework:
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Students are expected to do their homework and participate in class.
Specially marked homework problems will be collected frequently and
graded.
Late homework will not be accepted.
Solutions to all assigned homework exercises will be placed on reserve
in the Ganser Library.
You may check out the solutions for a maximum of three hours at a time
by asking for the "Buchanan MATH 242 Homework Notebook" at the
reserve desk.
New material will be added to the notebook on a weekly basis.
Students should expect to spend a minimum
of twelve hours per week
reviewing notes taken during class and working assigned homework
exercises.
Preparation for the tests and final exam will require additional hours
of study.
Students will find it beneficial to review all lecture notes and other
relevant material collected from the beginning of the semester until
the present time at least once per week.
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Tests:
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Three 50-minute tests and a comprehensive final exam (Wednesday,
December 17, 10:15AM-12:15PM).
The tests are tentatively scheduled for 09/23/97 (Chap.1-2), 10/27/97
(Chap. 4-5), 11/18/97 (Chap. 6-7).
Any changes to this schedule will be announced in class at least one
week in advance.
If you feel that an error was made in the grading of a test, you
should explain the error on a separate sheet of paper and return both
it and the test to me within three class periods after the test is
returned to you.
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Grades:
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Course grade will be calculated as follows.
| Tests | 51% |
| Exam | 30% |
| Homework | 19% |
The course letter grades will be calculated as follows.
| 90-100 | A |
| 80-89 | B |
| 70-79 | C |
| 60-69 | D |
| 0-59 | F |