Course Guidelines Math 232B
Dr. R. Beezer Fall 2004
Text   We will be using A First Course in Linear Algebra, version 0.10, as our primary textbook. This text is about half-complete, and will be finished as the course progresses. I would suggest keeping your copy in a 3-ring binder, especially as new pages become available. The text Introduction to Linear Algebra by Lee W. Johnson, R. Dean Riess, Jimmy T. Arnold (Fourth or Fifth Edition) will be used as a source of homework exercises. The Bookstore also has a highly recommended text: The Nuts and Bolts of Proofs by Antonella Cupillari. The course WWW page has some recommendations for similar books about proof techniques. The textbook will be updated weekly on the course WWW page.
Home Page   Start at http://buzzard.ups.edu/courses.html to locate the WWW page for this course.
Office Hours   My office is Thompson 321G; the telephone number is 879-3564. Making appointments or simple, non-mathematical questions can be handled via electronic mail - my address is beezer@ups.edu. Office hours will be 11:00-11:50 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 10:30-12:20 on Tuesday. I will always be available during these times on a first-come, first-served basis. If these times are not convenient, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with me for another time. You are also welcome to drop by my office without an appointment at any time that I am in (roughly 2 P.M. - 4 P.M. is a good time to try). Office hours are your opportunity to receive extra help or clarification on material from class, or to discuss any other aspect of the course.
Calculators   This course requires the use of a calculator. It should be capable of doing matrix operations - specifically "reduced row echelon form," "determinants" and "eigenvalues and eigenvectors." I highly recommend the Texas Instruments TI-86, which is what I will be using, since this is the model currently used in our calculus courses. These are available at the bookstore, though you must ask for them at the checkout counter. It is not required that you use this exact model, but whatever you use should have the capabilities listed above. If you no longer have a manual for the TI-86, check the course WWW page for a link to an electronic version (you will especially want Chapter 13, and possibly Chapter 12).
Homework   Suggested exercises from Johnson/Riess/Arnold will be posted on the course WWW page. It is expected that you will work these problems, but they will not be collected. Of course, you are not limited to working just these problems. These exercises will form the basis for the classes where we will have problem sessions and for discussions in office hours (group or otherwise). It is your responsibility to be certain that you are learning from these exercises. The best ways to do this are to work the problems diligently when assigned and to participate in the classroom discussions. If you are unsure about a problem, then a visit to my office is in order. Making a consistent effort outside of the classroom is the easiest way to do well in this course.
Mathematics not only demands straight thinking, it grants the student the satisfaction of knowing when he [or she] is thinking straight. - D. Jackson
Mathematics is not a spectator sport. - Anonymous
I hear, I forget.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand.
    - Chinese Proverb
Quizzes   There will be seven 50-minute timed quizzes - they are all listed on the very tentative schedule. The lowest of your seven quiz scores will be dropped. The comprehensive final exam will be given at 4 PM on Wednesday, December 15. The final exam cannot be given at any other time and also be aware that I will allow you to work longer on the final exam than just the two-hour scheduled block of time. In other words, plan your travel arrangements accordingly.
Writing   This course has been designated as part of the University's Writing in the Major requirement. Thus, there will be an emphasis on the quality of the mathematical exposition in your written work, and there will be two assignments that will be primarily graded on the basis of the exposition. These assignments will not be accepted late.
Reading Questions   On the WWW course page you will find reading questions for each section of the book. Once you have read the section prior to our in-class discussion, submit your responses to the reading question via electronic mail, as described on the course page, paying careful attention to all deadlines and procedures. Note that I will announce in class an email address for submitting your answers. Reading questions will not be accepted late.
Grades   Grades will be based on the following breakdown: Quizzes - 60%; Reading Questions - 5%, Writing - 15%; Final - 20%. Attendance and improvement will be considered for borderline grades. Scores will be posted on the World Wide Web at
http://buzzard.ups.edu/courses.html. A reminder about withdrawals - a Withdrawal Passing grade (W) can only be given during the third or fourth weeks of the semester, after that time (barring unusual circumstances), the appropriate grade is a Withdrawal Failing (WF), even if your work has been of passing quality. See the attached schedule for the last day to drop with an automatic `W' and please read The Logger about these often misunderstood grades.
Attendance   Daily attendance is required, expected, and overall a pretty good idea.
Purpose   This course is much different from most any mathematics course you have had recently, in particular it is much different than calculus courses. We will begin with a simple idea - a linear function - and build up an impressive, beautiful, abstract theory. We will begin computationally, but quickly shift to concentrating on theorems and their proofs. By the end of the course you will be at ease reading and understanding complicated proofs. You will also be very good at writing routine proofs and will have begun the process of learning how to create complicated proofs yourself.
You will see this material applied in subsequent courses in mathematics, computer science, chemistry, physics, economics and other disciplines (though we will not have much time for applications this semester). You will gain a "mathematical maturity" that will be helpful as you pursue upper-division coursework. It is not easy material, but your attention and hard work will be amply repaid with an in-depth knowledge of some very interesting and fundamental ideas.
Tentative Daily Schedule


Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Friday

Aug 30
Chapter SLE
Section WILA

Aug 31
Section SSSLE

Sep 1
Section RREF

Sep 3
Problem Session

Sep 6
Labor Day

Sep 7
Section TSS

Sep 8
Section HSE

Sep 10
Section NSM

Sep 13
Problem Session

Sep 14
Quiz SLE

Sep 15
Chapter V
Section VO

Sep 17
Section LC

Sep 20
Section SS

Sep 21
Problem Session

Sep 22
Section LI

Sep 24
Problem Session

Sep 27
Quiz V
Last day to drop

Sep 28
Writing #1

Sep 29
Chapter M
Section MO

Oct 1
Section ROM

Oct 4
Section RSOM

Oct 5
Problem Session

Oct 6
Section MOM

Oct 8
Section MISLE

Oct 11
Section MINSM
Writing #1 Due

Oct 12
Problem Session

Oct 13
Quiz M

Oct 15
Chapter VS
Mid-Term
Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Friday

Oct 18
Fall Break

Oct 19

Oct 20

Oct 22
Problem Session

Oct 25

Oct 26

Oct 27
Problem Session

Oct 29
Quiz VS

Nov 1
Writing #2

Nov 2
Chapters D&E

Nov 3

Nov 5

Nov 8

Nov 9
Problem Session

Nov 10
Quiz D&E

Nov 12
Chapter LT

Nov 15

Nov 16

Nov 17
Problem Session

Nov 19

Nov 22
Writing #2 Due

Nov 23
Problem Session

Nov 24
Quiz LT

Nov 26
Thanksgiving

Nov 29
Chapter R

Nov 30

Dec 1
Problem Session

Dec 3

Dec 6

Dec 7
Problem Session

Dec 8
Quiz R

Final Examinations
4 PM, Wednesday, December 15


File translated from TEX by TTH, version 3.40.
On 25 Aug 2004, 10:05.