Math 202B:  Linear Algebra (Fall 2000)

Note: All announcements, handouts, etc will be available from my home page at

Text:  Linear Algebra with Applications by Otto Bretscher

Prerequisites:  Math 201 or Math 203 or Permission of Instructor

Topics:  Matrices and systems of linear equations, linear transformations, subspaces of n-space, orthogonality and least squares, determinants, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, coordinates and basis, linear dynamical systems, general linear spaces

Computer Component:    Since in practice applied linear algebra usually involves computations that are too large to be done by hand, we will learn how to use MATLAB to carry out basic computations with matrices and vectors.  We will be using MATLAB essentially as a calculator (that is, we won't be writing large programs involving loops) so no prior programming experience is needed.

Grading:  Your grade for the course will be based on:

• Homework (including MATLAB):  20%
• Quizzes:  20%
• Midterm: 20%
• Final Exam: 40%

Our grader will be Jeff Schenker ( schenker@princeton.edu) and he will be giving help sessions on alternate Monday and Tuesday evenings in our regular classroom. The first help session will be on Tuesday, September 19 at 7:30PM. The second session will be on Monday, September 25 at 7:30PM.

Schedule:  (If you have a conflict with the dates below, contact me as soon as possible.)

• Quiz 1 will be given as a take-home. It will be distributed in class on Wednesday, October 4 and must be returned to Fine 403 by 3PM on Friday, October 6. It will cover Chapters 1 and 2 of Bretscher.
• The midterm exam will be 90 minutes long, to be scheduled by the Registrar during midterm week.  It will cover Chapters 1-4 of Bretscher.
• Quiz 2 will be given as a take-home, distributed in class on Wednesday, November 29 and due in Fine 403 by 3PM on Friday, December 1. It will cover Chapters 5 and 6 of Bretscher.
• The Final Exam will be cumulative, 3 hours long, to be scheduled by the Registrar.

Homework:  You are encouraged to work together on the homework, but you should always write up your own homework solutions in your own words.  Homework is due by 3PM in Fine 403 on the Wednesday after we cover the relevant sections of the text.  No late homework will be accepted and your lowest 2 homework scores will be dropped.