Instructor: Prof. Mike Sullivan
Phone: 453-6517
Office: Neckers 465
E-mail:
Office hours: MWF 9-10. And by appointment.

Text: Introductory Linear Algebra, by Kolman. We will cover Chapter 1-6, plus some additional topics. No other texts or supplements are needed. But there will be some handouts.

Computer: We will use the computer algebra system Maple V. We will not use MATLAB, though you may use it if you wish.

Grades: Weekly homework (10%), two midterms (20% each), project (10%), final exam (40%).
However, the homework is required. If you do not turn in most of the homework you will fail.

Assignments: The first assignments will be from a handout. The textbook assumes that you have certain background knowledge that you probably do not have (e.g. the equation of a plane, and proof by induction). The handout is meant to bridge this gap. You should download it from my website (it is 25 pages long):
http://galileo.math.siu.edu/221/S01/Handouts/la.pdf

Readings: Read the first two sections by this Friday. Finish reading entire document by Monday. Note: The word "read" has a special meaning mathematics. It means to work through and reread as many times as needed.

Homework: These problems are not long or complex but they are difficult in the sense that you will likely have to think on a different level than you are use to. While Linear Algebra is very useful and has many applications, the main purpose of the course is for you to broaden your thinking skills.

Homework Set 1. (Due Friday, Jan. 26): Page 5: 1, 4; Page 7: 1, 2, 3, 8; Page 13: 2, 4.

Homework Set 2. (Due Friday, Feb. 2): Page 15: 1(a) part (c) only (that is prove Thm 4.1 (c) in 3 dimensional space), 3, 4; Page 23: 1, 3, 6; Page 25: 8, 9.

(Most future assignments will be from your text book.)