Historically, Linear Algebra was developed from studying methods for solving systems of linear equations. This course teaches core Linear Algebra concepts with a focus on applications encountered in science and engineering. These “real world” problems are often larger than what can easily be solved by hand, so this course focuses on numerical techniques for understanding and solving large systems of equations using computing.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
We will work toward the goals expressed above throughout this course using a range of activities – primarily by writing software both individually and in small groups, but also through discussion, presentations, and other types of exercises.
The primary topics covered in this course include:
Please note that using the language of linear algebra and computers to solve scientific problems (whether they are problems in the physical, life, or social sciences, or in engineering) is the driving principle of this course – everything else we teach you is in service to this goal.
We will provide assignments, which are estimated to take up to 1 hour, before each class. The purpose of these assignments is to introduce new material and give you some exposure so that we can focus on hands-on practice during class.
These assignments will typically consist of short videos, reading assignments, and related questions or problems. Each pre-class assignment includes a small D2L quiz that students must fill out by 11:59PM (EDT) the night before class to receive credit. They are graded based on correctness and completion. These assignments will account for 15% of the student's final grade.
The pre-class assignments can be found by clicking "Content" in the banner then, scroll down to "pre-class assignments". From the drop down menu select the appropriate assignment and download it. The corresponding quiz is found similarly.
Each class period, students will work in groups on an in-class IPython notebook assignment. Each group will collaborate on a single notebook, and grades will be assigned collectively for each group. Group work will be done using Deepnote, which is completely free and supports collaboration in real-time on a single IPython notebook. Students will need to create a free account using their MSU email address. These assignments are expected to be completed (at the latest) by by 11:59PM (EDT) on the corresponding class days, but generally, groups should be able to complete these assignments during class.
The in-class assignments will account for 15% of the student's final grade. Grading is based on attendance, correctness and completion. Students are expected to attend class and work with their peers to complete the in-class assignments, in order to receive credit for the assignment.
You will have 3 homework assignments throughout the semester (approximately 1 assignment every two weeks) that will provide a more in-depth exploration of the materials covered in class. These assignments must be turned in by 11:59PM on their due date (found on D2L and the schedule) via a D2L assignment dropbox. Homework will account for 40% of the student's final grade and are graded based on correctness. It is important that you work ahead on these and do not wait until the last moment to submit them. There is always a chance that on the due date the wifi goes down, there is an emergency at work, etc.
You will have 2 quizzes throughout the semester (approximately 1 quiz every two weeks) that are designed to assess your current understanding of the course materials. Together they will make up 20% of your course grade. The dates of the quizzes can be found on the course schedule. Once you begin the quiz you will have 60 minutes to complete it.
The quizzes are proctored assignments using the Respondus proctoring system. Students are expected to have a webcam, reliable internet, and a computer capable of running the Respondus browser (see supplies section below for more details).
In addition to the computer which is running Respondus, students are free to use blank scrap paper and a writing instrument during the quizzes. Students will also be provided a Python compiler during the quiz to execute code. No other devices/materials are permitted.
The final exam is 1 hour long, will have a similar format to the Quizzes, and will be proctored in a similar way. The final will be on the last day of class August 17th. The Final Exam is cumulative and will account for 10% of a student's grade.
There are exactly two extra credit opportunities in this course. They are two “round-up” surveys during the semester to help the department gain a better understanding of its student population. The pre-course survey must be completed in the first week of class. The post-course survey will be available during the last week of class. The URL to the surveys and due dates/times will be posted on D2L when available. No extensions can be provided on these surveys. Each completed survey contributes at least 0.5% to the overall course grade. These surveys are made to help round up any students who are close to the next grade threshold. There is no additional rounding beyond this.
Example: Suppose your course grade is 89.2% which is a 3.5. By doing both of the course surveys this would be rounded up to a 4.0. Note: doing only one of the surveys would only round up 0.5% so would not be enough to guarantee a 4.0.
There are a variety of course activities, with percentages of total grades listed. More detailed descriptions of each activity can be found in the corresponding syllabus sections above.
| Activity | Grade Percentage |
|---|---|
| Pre-Class Assignments | 15 |
| In-Class Participation | 15 |
| Homework Assignments | 40 |
| Quizzes | 20 |
| Final Exam | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
| Percent Grade | 4.0 Grade | |
|---|---|---|
| [90,100] | 4.0 | |
| [85,90) | 3.5 | |
| [80,85) | 3.0 | |
| [75,80) | 2.5 | |
| [70,75) | 2.0 | |
| [65,70) | 1.5 | |
| [60,65) | 1.0 | |
| [0,60) | 0.0 |
|
Weekday |
Date |
Event |
|
Tuesday |
7/5/2022 |
First day of classes. |
|
Thursday |
8/17/2029 |
Last Day of Class |
We will be using Piazza as our means of communicating outside of scheduled class times about course content as the semester progresses and you are expected to monitor Piazza regularly. We believe that this will provide an excellent avenue to have discussions not only with course instructors, but also between you and your fellow classmates.
In order to ensure that Piazza is an appropriately used tool that does not become overly time-consuming for the course instructors we have a list of rules for how we expect you to use Piazza. They are:
Be courteous to everyone on Piazza.
Pre-class assignments, homework, quizzes, and the final exam will all be submitted through D2L. The quizzes and the final exam will be proctored through Respondus and require a webcam. To that end, you will need to ensure that you have the following:
If you do not have a sufficiently reliable internet connection, you should notify your instructor immediately to determine how you can complete the required activities.
Student self-guided learning through assigned readings is required for students to be successful. The course strives to use Open Educational Resources (OER) to help reduce student financial burden. To this end, we have selected the following downloadable textbooks for reading assignments and supplemental examples:
Important course announcements will be posted to the D2L "Announcements" widget on our homepage. You are responsible for reading these announcements within 24hrs (so check our D2L page at least once per day!)
Respectful and responsible behavior is expected at all times, which includes not interrupting other students, refraining from non-course-related use of electronic devices or additional software during class sessions, and not using offensive or demeaning language in our discussions. Flagrant or repeated violations of this expectation may result in ejection from the classroom, grade-related penalties, and/or involvement of the University Ombudsperson. In particular, behaviors that could be considered discriminatory or harassing, or unwanted sexual attention, will not be tolerated and will be immediately reported to the appropriate MSU office (which may include the MSU Police Department).
In addition, MSU welcomes a full spectrum of experiences, viewpoints, and intellectual approaches because they enrich the conversation, even as they challenge us to think differently and grow. However, we believe that expressions and actions that demean individuals or groups comprise the environment for intellectual growth and undermine the social fabric on which the community is based. These demeaning behaviors are not welcome in this classroom.
There are many other important course policies that apply to our class here: https://math.msu.edu/Classes/other_policies.aspx
The syllabus may also be adjusted if needed. Such changes will be announced during class and on the course’s Desire2Learn page (in the Announcements).