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Linear Algebra 1600a, Fall 2009

THIS IS THE WEB PAGE FOR FALL 2009. The web page for Fall 2014 is here.

OVERALL COURSE grades are now posted on webct beside the "Final" heading. Please log in and check that all of your grades were recorded correctly. Excused absences are marked as "EX".

If you missed the final, you must contact your Dean's office immediately, and also let your instructor know. If you are approved for a make-up exam, it will be held on Wednesday, January 13 from 7-10 pm, in MC107.

Section 001 Section 002
Instructor: Matthias Franz Dan Christensen
Office: Middlesex 134 Middlesex 103B
Phone: 661-2111 x86540 661-2111 x86530
E-mail: mfranz jdc    (both at uwo dot ca)
Office Hours: Mon 1-2, Thu 2-3, MC134 Mon 1-2, Wed 2-3, MC103B
 
TA Help Centres: Mon 4:30-5:30, Tues 4:30-5:30, Fri 12-1 in MC107 (except Oct 12)
Thu 10:30-11:30, MC17
Students from any section can go to any help centre.
 
Class times: MWF 8:30-9:30 MWF 10:30-11:30
Class location: NCB 117 B&GS 0153
Tutorials: 1 hour per week. The TA reviews material from the course and answers questions, and the tutorials also include quizzes (see below). You must attend the tutorial you are registered for (see your schedule), but note that some of the times have changed, so use the times below.

003  W 9:30P&AB-233           006  W 3:30 KB-K103
004Th 2:30 MC-105B    007Th 12:30   P&AB-36
005Th 11:30   P&AB-36    008W 11:30 TC-203
 
Course outline: Properties and applications of vectors; matrix algebra; solving systems of linear equations; determinants; vector spaces; independence; orthogonality; eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Link to UWO course calendar.
Text: Contemporary Linear Algebra, by Anton and Busby. Wiley.
Student Solutions Manual For Contemporary Linear Algebra, by Anton and Busby. Wiley. (Recommended.)
You can buy them separately, or get both together for a good price. Both are available at the bookstore and on 2-hour reserve at Taylor library. It should be easy to find used copies as well. There is also a list of errata for the text.
 
Prerequisites: One or more of Ontario Secondary School MCV4U, the former Ontario Secondary School MGA4U, Mathematics 1229A/B, the former Mathematics 017a/b, Calculus 1100A/B, or Calculus 1000A/B (formerly 050a/b) taken as a pre- or co-requisite.
Antirequisites:  Applied Mathematics 1411A/B (formerly 025a/b), 2811B (formerly 213b).
 
Web page: This page is available at http://jdc.math.uwo.ca/LA1600a, where you should also check for course announcements. Webct will not be used much, and contains a link to this page.
 
Quizzes: There will be 10 quizzes throughout the year, during the tutorials, during the weeks shown below. The questions on the quizzes will be based on the recommended homework questions and will cover the material up to and including what was covered on Monday's lecture.
Sep 9-10:no tutorial       Oct 28-29:no quiz (midterm 30th)
Sep 16-17:no quiz Nov 4-5:quiz 6
Sep 23-24: quiz 1 Nov 11-12:quiz 7
Sep 30-Oct 1:  quiz 2       Nov 18-19:quiz 8
Oct 7-8:quiz 3 Nov 25-26:  quiz 9
Oct 14-15:quiz 4 Dec 2-3:quiz 10
Oct 21-22:quiz 5 Dec 9-10:no tutorial
The tutorials do run Sep 16-17 and Oct 28-29, and the TA will use the full time for going over course material and answering questions.
Midterm: The midterm examination will be held on Friday, October 30, 2009, from 7 to 10pm in HSB 35, 236 and 240.
Exam: The official time for the final examination is Monday, December 21 from 7-10pm in NS 1. It will cover all the material from the course. See below for how conflicts are handled.
Evaluation: Quizzes: 20%, Midterm: 30%, Final exam: 50%. For the quizzes, the lowest two scores will be dropped.

What is expected of the student:

The aim of the course is for you to learn the techniques of linear algebra and to gain an understanding of the concepts on which the techniques are based. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to attend all classes and tutorials, do all of the suggested exercises, and keep up to date with the material.

You are required to read the text ahead of time to prepare for each lecture. The instructor will assume you have looked over the material before the lecture. You should also do the recommended exercises as the material is being covered, and then do them again before quizzes and exams.

This course covers a lot of material, and is cumulative, so it will be necessary to work hard throughout the term in order to do well.

Quizzes and Exams:

For quizzes and exams, questions will be similar to the recommended exercises. The best way to prepare is to do all of those exercises, plus as many additional questions as you can. You should also study the text and your lecture notes, so you understand the concepts behind the problems you are solving.

Missed quiz, midterm or final exam:

Remember that the lowest two quiz grades are dropped, to take into account absences for unforseen reasons.

If you know ahead of time that you are unable to attend a quiz, midterm or final exam, you must let your instructor know at least two weeks in advance so alternative arrangements can be made. For final exam conflicts, see below.

For absence due to flu-like symptoms, you are not to see a doctor or come to campus, but should use the online reporting system.

If you are unable to attend a quiz, midterm or final exam due to illness or other serious circumstances, you must provide valid medical or other supporting documentation to the Dean's office as soon as possible and contact your instructor immediately. It is the student's responsibility to make alternative arrangements with their instructor. For further information please see this link and the Student Services web site.

A student requiring academic accommodation due to illness should bring a Student Medical Certificate with them when visiting an off-campus medical facility and use a Record Release Form for visits to Student Health Services. Hard copies of both of these forms are available from your home Faculty Academic Counselling Service.

If a quiz is missed and sufficient documentation is provided, the grade for that quiz will be reweighted to the other quizzes. If an exam is missed and sufficient documentation is provided, a make-up exam will be offered.

Failure to follow these rules will result in a grade of zero.

Final exam conflicts:

Please see the University's policy on final exam conflicts. Here are the first two paragraphs:
A student who is scheduled to write more than two examinations in any 23-hour period may request alternative arrangements through the office of the dean of their faculty.

A student who is scheduled to write two examinations concurrently must notify the Registrar so that arrangements may be made for both examinations to be written in the Examination Conflict Room in a sequence established by the Registrar.

Please also let your instructor know about the conflict, and read the entire University policy.

Academic Offences

Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the official policy. Note that the penalty for cheating can include receiving a grade of zero in the course and suspension or expulsion from the University.

A note to all students from the office of the Dean of the Faculty of Science:

You are responsible for ensuring that you have successfully completed all course prerequisites and that you have not taken an antirequisite course. Lack of prerequisites may not be used as the basis of appeal. If you are not eligible for a course, you may be removed from it at any time, and will receive no adjustment to your fees. These decisions cannot be appealed.

If you do not have the course prerequisites, and have not been granted a special permission to take the course by the department, it is in your best interest to drop the course well before the end of the add period. Your prompt attention to this matter will not only help protect your record, but will ensure that spaces become available for students who require this course for graduation.

Please check the exercises page and this course web page regularly for announcements and updates.

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