Math 261: Introduction to linear algebra (Section 002), Fall 2024 (CRN 11665)

Instructor:

Derek Garton (email and office: gartondw[at]pdx.edu and Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH) 468M).

Lecture place and time:

Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH), Room 200, TuTh, 2:00pm–3:50pm.

Student drop-in hours:

Tuesdays 11am, Wednesdays 1pm, or by appointment.

Text:

W. Keith Nicholson, Linear Algebra with Applications, Vretta-Lyryx Inc, 2023.

Course objectives and student learning outcomes:

At the end of this course, you should be able to solve systems of real linear equations using row reduction, perform real vector algebra, compute various invariants of linear transformations of real vector spaces, and find and use eigenvalues and eigenvectors of real linear transformations.

I hope this course will be joyful and interesting to everybody. It will be challenging and we will support each other. Please be prepared to take an active, critical, patient, and generous role in your own learning and that of your classmates.

Course schedule:

The course schedule records the material we cover in the text and the homework assignments.

Grading policy:

Homework: 20%
Quizzes: 10%
Midterms: 20% and 20%
Final exam: 30%

Homework:

Engaging with the homework is essential, and it will likely require a substantial amount of time and effort. Working on the exercises with classmates is an excellent way to enhance your learning, but do the problems on your own. Please try not to look on the internet for answers: struggling with the problems on your own (with the help of the text, your classmates, and the instructor) is part of the learning process.

Quizzes:

There are four required quizzes and one optional quiz. The result of the optional quiz will replace the lowest score of your required quiz scores. (But only if this helps you.)

Discussion group:

Portland State has kindly provided a discussion group for this course. Feel free to use them to talk about math.

These discussion groups serve the role of an email list for the class. Therefore, you must be a member.

Disability resources:

The required statement on access and inclusion for students with disabilities is on the bottom right of the linked page.

Title IX reporting obligations:

Here is the required statement on Title IX reporting obligations.

The Center for Student Health & Counseling (SHAC):

Here is the required statement about the SHAC.

Classroom requirements for all students and faculty due to COVID-19:

Here is an FAQ about PSU's response to COVID-19.