MATH:201:01           Linear Algebra              Spring, 2013
                                 Syllabus

         Instructor:   Kenneth Brakke

         Office:       308 Fisher Hall
         Office phone: 4466
         Email: brakke@susqu.edu
                I will use email to communicate with the class outside
                of meeting times, e.g. for homework corrections, hints,
                etc.  So check your email regularly.  When emailing me,
                be sure to use a good subject line.  Blank subjects, and
                generic subjects like "question" and "help" are liable
                to get eaten by our spam filter.  Use a subject like
                "Linear algebra homework question".

         Office hours: 3:00 - 4:00 MWF, 9:00 - 11:00 TTh officially.
               I am usually in my office 8:30 to 5:00 except for
               lunch and my other classes (11:15-12:20 MWF and 1:45-2:50 MWF).
               You can also make an appointment.

         Text: Elementary Linear Algebra, Howard Anton and Chris Rorres,
               Tenth Edition, 2010,  ISBN 978-0-470-45821-1

         Software: We will sometimes use the mathematics program MatLab,
               which is available to all on the campus network.

         Course goals: To become very friendly with linear equations,
         vectors, determinants, matrices, eigenvalues, eigenvectors,
         and linear transformations.

         Grading:    Homework       100 points
                     2 Hour exams   100 points each  
                     Final exam     150 points comprehensive
                                    ----------
                     Total          450 points

         The exact correspondence between points and letter grades
         will be determined at the end of the semester.  It is usually
         close to the traditional 90-80-70-60 cutoffs, but I reserve 
         the right to modify it.

         Homework is due daily at the start of class, and will be graded.
         Late homework will get half credit, unless previous arrangements
         have been made (i.e. tell me when you are going to miss class
         for some excellent reason, or email me when you are too sick to
         come to class).

         Roll will not be taken, but frequent absences will be noticed.
         You are still subject to the attendence policy in the Student
         Handbook.

         Policy on cheating: Don't.  Studying together to understand the
         material is fine, but the work you hand in is to be your own.
         See the Student Handbook statement on academic honesty.

         Final exam: there will be a comprehensive final exam held in the
         official final exam period for this course, 11:30-1:30, Thursday, 
         May2.  Tell your family not to plan family vacations, weddings, 
         rides home etc. until after finals.
                                                                       OVER



Since this course satisfies the Analytical Thought requirement of the 
Central Curriculum (even though most of you are not taking it for that
purpose), the syllabus must list the relevant learning goals and how
this course relates to them.

Central Curriculum Analytical Thought learning goals:

  1. Abstract a problem into a symbolic or mathematical model
     or framework.

     Students should be able to translate real-world problems into 
     mathematical models.  This course studies linear problems, so
     students should be able to identify variables in a problem,
     set up linear equations, and identify the kind of problem.

  2. Interpret such a model or framework in terms of a real-
     world construct.

     After solving the relevant mathematical problem, the mathematical 
     result must be translated back into the terms of the original problem, 
     in a form intelligible to an appropriate audience.
     
  3. Reason from precisely stated principles using deductive
     methods and draw valid conclusions.

     Each type of mathematical model or problem-solving technique has 
     specific prerequisites for its validity, and specific techniques 
     for valid solution.

  4. Recognize, manipulate and reason from or about abstract
     patterns.

     The abstract patterns involved here are centered around
     linear equations, vectors, linear combinations, and matrices.