Linear algebra, MA 415, Section N 13, Spring 2008

Instructor: Christian Rosendal, room 304 Altgeld Hall

Note that the final exam is May 2nd, 8:00 AM-11:00 AM. Not May 5th as stated earlier.
For people having three or more exams on Friday May 2nd, there will be a conflict exam on Wednesday May 7th, 11 AM - 2 PM, in Altgeld Hall 141. Let me know by Wednesday April 30th if you need to take the conflict exam.
Chapter 9 will not be covered on the final exam. Otherwise the final is cummulative and will cover all topics from chapters 1 through 8, as indicated below.

Course webpage: http://www.math.uiuc.edu/~rosendal/MA415-08.html

Exam syllabus:
  • Chapter 1, sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9.
  • Chapter 2, sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
  • Chapter 3, sections 1, 2, 4, 5.
  • Chapter 4, sections 1, 2, 3, 4 (only first subsection).
  • Chapter 5, sections 1, 2, 3, 5, 6.
  • Chapter 6, section 2.
  • Chapter 7, sections 1, 2.
  • Chapter 8, sections 1, 2, 3, 4.


    • Required text: Peter J. Olver - Chehrzad Shakiban; Applied Linear Algebra; Pearson - Prentice Hall.

    Course hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10:30-11:50 AM in Henry Building 156.

    Office hours: Wednesday 10:30-11:50 AM in Altgeld Hall 304. For fairness, I do not answer questions directly related to homework still due, but I will help you with problems concerning the material presented in class, preparation for midterms, or past due homeworks.

    Homework: There will be 8 homework sets in the course of the semester. These are to be handed in in my mailbox in Altgeld hall 250 at the latest at noon on the due date (which is always a Tuesday). Any homework handed in after this deadline will be credited for 0 points. The homework grade will be the average of the 7 highest scores, so, e.g., if you have missed one homework set, then this will be counted as your lowest score. There are no other exceptions possible. Also, unless you can point out a specific mistake in the calculation of the homework score, there will be no correction of this. I do not give extra credits for asking.

    Midterms: There will be three midterms each taking place during regular class hours. These will take place on:
  • Tuesday, February 19. Average score: 80 points. Mean score: 83. Solution sketch for the first midterm.
  • Tuesday, March 25.Average score: 85 points. Mean score: 90. Solution sketch for the second midterm.
  • Tuesday, April 15.Average and mean score: 70 points. Solution sketch for the third midterm.

    • To be excused from a midterm you will need to provide a valid excuse and a letter from the emergency dean to this effect. You will not have the chance to make up an exam, so if you are excused from a midterm your midterm grade will be the average of the remaining scores on your midterms. It is your responsibility to be in time for an exam, not your alarm clock's.

    Final exam: The final exam will take place 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM, May 2nd, in Henry Building 156.

    Grade: Your grade will be a weighted average of your homework, midterm, and final grades calculated as follows:
    • Homeworks: 25 %
    • Midterms: 35 %
    • Final: 40 %


    Other course policies: Due to the number of students in class, I will not be able to answer emails. If you have an administrative question, then either come and see me during office hours or ask me immediately after class. Mathematical questions should preferably be posed during office hours.

    Weekly programme:

    The exercises assigned here are complementary to the ones assigned as homeworks. These are not to be handed in.

  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 01/22: Read chapter 1.
    Do exercises 1.1.1e, 1.2.5ab, 1.2.11, 1.2.24, 1.3.2c, 1.3.32, 1.5.17, 1.6.26.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 01/29: Read chapter 2, section 1,2,3,4.
    Do exercises 1.8.1cd, 1.8.7cd, 1.8.8cd, 1.8.24, 1.9.1ce, 1.9.8, 2.1.1, 2.1.10, 2.2.8, 2.3.8, 2.3.10, 2.3.22


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 02/05: Read chapter 2, section 4,5,6.
    Do exercises 2.4.4, 2.4.6, 2.5.21, 2.5.24.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 02/12: Read chapter 3.
    Do exercises 2.5.26, 2.5.28, 2.6.2, 2.6.3, 2.6.4.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 02/19: Midterm 1 & Read chapter 3


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 02/26: Read chapter 4
    Do exercises 3.1.2, 3.1.5, 3.1.25, 3.2.1ab, 3.4.4, 3.4.14.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 03/04: Read chapter 5
    Do exercises 3.5.2adg, 3.5.6a, 4.2.5ac, 4.3.3, 4.3.5, 4.3.14bc.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 03/11: Read chapter 5
    Do exercises 4.4.1, 5.1.4, 5.1.21, 5.2.1ab.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 03/25: Midterm 2 & Read chapter 6
    Do exercises 5.2.4, 5.3.1, 5.3.8, 5.3.6, 5.3.26, 5.3.27abde, 5.6.1ab, 5.6.2, 5.6.3.
    Some solutions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 04/01: Read chapter 7
    Do exercises 2.6.5, 6.2.2, 6.2.3, 6.2.4, 6.2.1cd.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 04/08: Read chapter 8
    Do exercises 1.5.24abd, 7.1.1, 7.1.19je, 7.1.20, 7.1.51abc, 7.1.52abc, 7.2.1acd, 7.2.12ad, 7.2.24.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 04/15: Midterm 3 & Read chapter 8
    Do exercises 8.2.1acefk, 8.2.4, 8.2.5, 8.2.7ab, 8.2.14, 8.2.17, 8.2.18, 8.2.51.
    Some solutions to this and last weeks exercises.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 04/22: Read chapter 8, 9
    Do exercises 8.3.1cf, 8.3.3de, 8.3.15de, 8.4.2ab, 8.4.17bc, 8.4.38ab.


  • Course week beginning on Tuesday 04/29: Read chapter 9

    • Homework exercises:

    These exercises are to be handed in in my mailbox at the latest at noon on the due date.

  • Due Tuesday 01/29: 1.3.2b, 1.3.15, 1.3.22e, 1.4.1e, 1.6.26 (M3)


  • Due Tuesday 02/05: 1.9.1f, 2.1.8, 2.2.20, 2.3.2, 2.3.33de


  • Due Tuesday 02/12: 2.4.3, 2.4.10, 2.5.4, 2.5.23, 2.5.30.


  • Tuesday 02/19: No homework, prepare for 1st midterm. Do all exercises assigned from chapter 1 and 2.


  • Due Tuesday 02/26: 3.1.20, 3.2.5, 3.4.2, 3.4.22(vi)(vii), 3.4.25.


  • Due Tuesday 03/04: 3.5.3, 3.5.6b, 4.2.1, 4.3.14a, 4.3.15d.


  • Due Tuesday 03/11: 4.4.7, 5.1.5, 5.1.22, 5.2.1c.


  • Tuesday 03/25: No homework, prepare for 2nd midterm. Do all exercises assigned from chapter 3, 4 and 5.


  • Due Tuesday 04/01: There is no homework to hand in this week.


  • Due Tuesday 04/08: 1.5.24efg, 7.1.5acd, 7.1.30a, 7.2.12ce, 7.2.25.


  • Tuesday 04/15: No homework, prepare for 3rd midterm.


  • Due Tuesday 04/22: 8.3.22, 8.4.18, 8.4.34.


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