Math 261: Introduction to linear algebra (Section 003), Spring 2025 (CRN 61723)

Instructor:

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

Teaching assistant:

Tamara Gratcheva (email and office: tgrat2[at]pdx.edu and Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH) 462E).

Lecture place and time:

Fariborz Maseeh Hall (FMH) 211, MW, 2pm–3:50pm.

Student drop-in hours with Derek:

Mondays 4pm–5pm, Tuesdays 2pm–3pm, or by appointment.

Student drop-in hours with Tamara:

Mondays 1pm–2pm and Wednesdays 4pm–5pm.

Text:

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

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:

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 write your solutions up yourself. 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. Since everybody has a hard week now and again, I will drop your lowest HW grade.

Quizzes:

To ensure you are prepared for the midterms and finals, there will be regular quizzes. These will take place in class on Wednesdays. Out of the five quizzes, only the top two will count towards your grade. For this reason, there are no makeup quizzes.

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.

PSU care team:

The PSU care team is Portland State University's resource for students experience distress—both academic and nonacademic.

Disability resources:

The required statement on access and inclusion for students with disabilities is bottom menu option 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.