Program Overview

Linear Algebra - Math 304

Course Overview

Linear Algebra - Math 304 is a course offered in the Fall 2024 semester, coordinated by Alex Feingold. The course has six sections, each taught by a different instructor.

Course Details

• The course meets at various times, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, with specific room assignments for each section.
• The required textbook is "Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 6/e, by Lay/McDonald, Pearson+ etext".
• The course is participating in Binghamton University's Inclusive Access Program, and access codes will be delivered via the B&N Course Materials link in Brightspace.

Additional Resources

• Supplemental textbooks include "Linear Algebra by Jim Hefferon", "A First Course in Linear Algebra by Robert A. Beezer", "Elementary Linear Algebra by K.R. Matthews", and "Linear Algebra by D. Cherney, T. Denton, R. Thomas, and A. Waldron".
• Online resources, such as MathMatize by Jonathan Herman, are available for additional practice and review.

Exam Schedule

• Exam 1: The week of September 16, 2024
• Exam 2: The week of October 21, 2024
• Exam 3: The week of November 18, 2024
• Final Exam: Monday, December 9, 2024, 10:25 am - 12:25 pm in LH-001

Final Exam Procedures

• Students should plan to arrive by 10:05 AM and will be seated according to their section.
• No electronic devices or cellphones are allowed during the exam.
• Students with accommodations from the SSD will take the exam at the University Testing Center.

Grades

• The course total will be determined by:
  • Quizzes: 15%
  • Exam 1: 15%
  • Exam 2: 15%
  • Exam 3: 15%
  • Final Exam: 30%
  • MyLab Assignments: 10%
• The final grade will be based on the course total and the following approximate scale:
  • A 90%, A- 85%, B+ 80%, B 75%, B- 70%, C+ 65%, C 60%, C- 55%, D 50%

Health and Safety Procedures

• The course will follow Binghamton University's health and safety guidelines, including the use of face coverings and social distancing.

Expected Workload

• Students are expected to spend approximately 12.5 hours per week on the course, including in-class lectures, watching instructional videos, and completing homework assignments.

Expected Behavior in Class

• Students are expected to participate in a way that maximizes their learning and minimizes disruptions for their classmates.

Academic Code of Honor

• Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, and all instances will be investigated and penalized.

Getting Help

• Students who need extra help or are falling behind should talk to their instructor or form informal study groups.

Disability Information

• Students with disabilities should contact their instructor and the Services for Students with Disabilities office as early as possible to arrange accommodations.

Topics Covered

• The course will cover various topics in linear algebra, including:
  • Systems of Linear Equations
  • Row Reduction and Echelon Forms
  • Vector Equations
  • Matrix Equations
  • Solution Sets of Linear Systems
  • Linear Independence
  • Linear Transformations
  • Standard Matrix for a Linear Transformation
  • Matrix Operations
  • Invertible Matrices
  • Invertible Matrix Theorem
  • Determinants
  • Properties of Determinants
  • Applications of Determinants
  • Abstract Vector Spaces
  • Fundamental Subspaces
  • Bases
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Dimension
  • Change of Basis Matrices
  • Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
  • Characteristic Equations
  • Diagonalization
  • Matrix for a Linear Transformation
  • Complex Eigendata
  • Inner Products
  • Orthogonal Sets
  • Orthogonal Projections
  • Gram-Schmidt
  • Inner Product Spaces
  • Symmetric Matrices

Previous Syllabi

• Syllabi from previous semesters (Fall 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021) are available for reference.