Math 121A (45057) - Winter 2022
Linear Algebra I
Lecturer
Neil Donaldson
Email
ndonalds@math.uci.edu
Office hours
TuTh 10--12 Zoom: 914 0383 6604
Teaching Assistant
David Clausen
Email
dclausen@uci.edu
Office Hours
TBA
Lectures
MWF 9-9:50 DBH 1500
Notes, Exercises & Resources
Discussions
Sec B1 (44058): TuTh 9-9:50 MSTB 124
Course Summary, Text & Syllabus
In lower division, you should have become familiar with certain computations related to vector spaces, bases, linear operators, determinants and eigenvectors. In this course we rigorously develop these concepts and justify some of the computational techniques whereby they may be applied.
We will cover most of chapters 1--5 of
Linear Algebra, by Friedberg, Insel + Spence, 4th Ed, Prentice Hall.
The book is not required, since all notes and exercises will be hosted here. The book is recommended for further detail and exercises, moreover the same text covers 121B. For a more detailed syllabus including sections covered and assessment dates, click
here.
Assessment
- Homework
is due at the Thursday discussions of weeks 2--4 and 7--9 (see the
syllabus). Solutions will be posted within Canvas.
- Quizzes will be given in discussion class on the same days homework is collected, and cover the same sections as the homework.
- The lowest of six homework scores and the lowest quiz scores will be dropped.
- Midterm: during normal class time on Friday 4th February
- Final exam: a comprehensive final will be given in the usual classroom during finals week
- Wednesday 16th March, 8-10:00
- The overall grade breakdown will (tentatively) be 20% Quizzes, 10% Homework, 25% Midterm, 45% Final.
- There will be no opportunity for extra credit.
Class Policies & Administrative Stuff
- Adds/Drops, P/NP changes & the Waitlist: This is handled centrally by the
math dept,
NOT the instructor. Being on the waitlist does not exempt you from any assessments.
- Make sure you attend the correct discussion section: the quizzes will be different!
- No calculators, notes, or cheat-sheets are permitted in the tests.
- A legible ID is required for the exams. If your UCI ID has a smudged picture, bring your driver's license or passport.
- Exam scores and overall percentages will not be curved. You will instead receive a letter-grade equivalent with your midterm score as a guide to how you're doing. The overall letter-grade cut-offs, incorporating homework and quizzes, will be decided at the end of term in line with the following metrics:
- A grade of C/C- means you are considered ready to take any class that has this one as a pre-requisite.
- An A grade means two things:
- You know the definitions and theorems well enough to be able to apply them in unfamiliar situations.
- You should be able to teach the core course material. This means being able to explain what the
concepts mean, not simply being able to perform computations.
- Post-final grade-change requests will be ignored for any reason other than the incorrect recording of scores. You have until the date of the final exam to report any missing or incorrectly recorded scores in the Canvas gradebook.
- Your final exam will be available to consult, but not take away, next quarter.
- Academic Honesty: Harsh penalties are in place for students who are caught cheating or using unauthorized assistance in tests. Depending on the severity of the offense, you may be given a zero for the assessment, for the class as a whole, or even suspended from the University.
COVID-specific matters (subject to change)
- Important Since the first four weeks of term are now remote, all pre-midterm material will be pre-recorded videos posted on Canvas. The first three quizzes will also be conducted online (see Canvas). With luck, normal service will resume week 5 in time for the midterm.
- UCI's campuswide guidelines are the starting point: read 'em and follow! Particularly note:
- DO NOT come to campus if you are feeling unwell.
- If you want to request accommodations for any reason - particularly because of illness - contact the Disability Services Center (DSC) as soon as possible. Accommodations might include remote proctoring of exams, recorded lecture material, etc. You should not request accommodations directly from the instructor or TA.
- The purpose of dropping quizzes and homework is to give everyone some leeway in case of sudden illness, it is NOT to artificially boost your grade.
- Office hours will be remote, at least at first, to avoid the possibility of large numbers of people in a cramped office. This may change if the pandemic situation greatly improves.
- Make-up quizzes will not be granted out of respect for TA's limited + shared office space. This is another reason for dropping a quiz.
- Exam absences. If you cannot attend an exam (midterm or final) due to COVID-related symptoms or illness, do one of the following depending on timing:
- If it is one or more days until the exam: contact the DSC and request reasonable accommodations.
- If it is the day of the exam: respond to UCI's `working well' email with `Yes' and forward the response email to the instructor. In the case of the final, if your previous work indicates you are likely to pass the course, you will receive an incomplete.
Be aware that make-up exams may not be possible in every circumstance.