SYLLABUS – MA 3042 – Linear Algebra, Fall 2009
NPS, Dr. Pante Stanica

LECTURE:   M-Th 10:00-10:50pm, Sp-221

INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Pante STANICA, 268 Spanagel, 656-2714,
                   pstanica@nps.edu; http://faculty.nps.edu/pstanica
                  
(I prefer to be contacted by email)
OFFICE HOURS: M,T,W,Th  11:00am-11:30am and/or by appointment (preferably, before my 10am class, or after 1pm)
(Be aware that office hours are not a substitute for regular class time)

TEXT: Linear Algebra with Applications, 7th edition, Steven J. Leon

Prerequisite: MA1042 or MA1114, or equivalent familiarity with elementary matrix algebra.

CALCULATOR POLICY: Using a CAS like Mathematica or Maple can give more insight but it is not required.

MATERIAL TO BE COVERED (and Objectives for the course—subject to be adjusted along the way):

1-1: Vector Spaces 3.1
1-2: Subspaces 3.2
2-4: Linear Independence 3.3
1-5: Basis and Dimension 3.4
2-7: Change of Basis 3.5
1-8: Row and Column Spaces 3.6
2-10: Linear Transformations 4.1
2-12: Matrix Representations of Linear Transformations 4.2
1-13: Similarity 4.3
1-14: Scalar Product in R^n 5.1
1-15: Orthogonal Subspaces 5.2
1-16: The Fundamental Subspaces Associated With a Matrix 5.2
2-18: Least Squares Problems 5.3
2-20: Inner Product Spaces 5.4
2-22: Orthonormal Sets 5.5
2-24: Gram-Schmidt Method, QR Factorization 5.6
2-26: Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors 6.1
1-27: Diagonalization 6.3
2-29: Hermitian Matrices 6.4
2-31: Singular Value Decomposition 6.5
1-32: Quadratic Forms 6.6
1-33: Positive Definite Matrices, the Cholesky Factorization 6.7
1-34: Floating-Point Numbers 7.1
1-35: Gaussian Elimination Revisited, PA=LU 7.2
1-36: Pivoting Strategies 7.3
2-38: Matrix Norms, Condition Numbers 7.4
2-40: Orthogonal Transformations 7.5
4-44: Exams and Holidays

HOMEWORK: You are encouraged to do as many problems as you can from the book. However the standard (default) assignment for each week is to read carefully the indicated sections and to prepare for homework the problems I will assign in class. The homework will not be collected. However, the exams may contain problems from the assigned homework.

TESTS: One in-class midterm will be given (possibly on October 21st or later) and a final comprehensive take-home exam in Week 10 or 11 (to be returned one week later). Absolutely no collaboration is allowed. Both the midterm and the final exam will contain approx. 10-20 prob/que (each of the prob/que will be worth 5-10 points for a total of 80 points for the midterm and 120 points for the final). No make-up tests will be given except in extraordinary circumstances (e.g. illness - present verified doctor's excuse). I reserve the right to give in-class pop quizzes (1-5pts), which will be used toward the final grade, as an add-on (extra credit) to the final score. If the test dates will be changed I will announce it in class at least one week in advance. It is your responsibility to stay informed of such changes.

GRADING: The number of possible points is 200 (quizzes could push this over). For the letter grade I will use the following scale (be advised that class participation will be considered, especially in the borderline grades):
185-200: A
175-185: A-
170-174: B+
160-169: B
150-159: B-
140-149: C+
130-139: C
125-129: C-
120-124: D+ 
095-119: D
000-094: failing grade.
An unresolved absence from either of the two tests or the final examination will result in a final grade of “FA”.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Cheating in this course will not be tolerated and will be dealt with as harshly as the University permits. I will report any student behavior that appears contrary to the standards of discipline and academic honesty or violations of the provisions described in the current edition of NPS Student's Catalog.

CLASS ATTENDANCE AND ENVIRONMENT:  You should do every attempt to arrive on time and attend each class. You are responsible for the material covered in missed classes. I do not tolerate any rude behavior; however, I encourage constructive comments on the material and/or lecture. We have to maintain a class environment conducive to learning therefore I am against bringing “active” cell phones, pagers, and other similar disruptive devices into the classroom.
NOTES:
* It is a bit of material to be covered at a fast pace, so do not fall behind.
* If it is necessary, there will be updates of this handout. Make sure you check my homepage regularly for info on the course (that is work in progress).
* Good luck ! I hope you will all learn Linear Algebra and make good grades!