Math 354: Honors Linear Algebra

MWF 2PM, HB 227

Professor Tim Cochran
Herman Brown 416 (my office)
(713) 348-5265 (my office) (713) 348-4829 (math office)
cochran@math.rice.edu
http://www.math.rice.edu/~cochran
Office hours: T 2:30-4:00, Th 2:30-3:30,

Recitation Section:Tuesdays 4-5pm Herman Brown 427, not required, Teaching assistant will do example problems and examples of proofs and also answer questions.

Teaching Assistant: Peter Horn, phorn@math.rice.edu, the teaching assistant will hold an extra 50 minute section Tuesday 4-5pm HB 427 in order to present sample problems and help students with proofs. It is not required. Peter Horn's Office Hour: T 5-6pm held in Herman Brown 427 or his office in Herman Brown 045 (Basement).

For Homework Assignments Click here

Course Description Course Announcement This course is primarily for students who might want to be math majors (including those who already are math or applied math majors) or for persons who need or desire to study linear algebra in a more theoretical setting (for example computer scientists, electrical engineers or someone who might go to grad school in economics or physics).

Course Web Page: http://math.rice.edu/~cochran/teaching/Math354Fall06/Math354Fall06.html .

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Prerequisites: Math 101, Math 102 or equivalent. I would prefer that students have taken at least one of Math 211 or Math 212 in order that they have had a little experience with vectors and matrices to the extent that they believe that these objects are useful, so useful that they might merit studying in a theoretical setting. This experience could equally have been obtained in a high school math or physics class.

Textbook:Linear Algebra, Fourth Edition, by S. Friedberg, A. Insel and L. Spence, Publisher: Prentice Hall

Assessment:
Homework: worth 25%of grade. Homework assignments are not pledged. You are strongly encouraged to work together in groups of 2-4. However, you are not allowed to use solutions from the internet. Moreover each student must write up her/his own homework.

Midterm exams: worth 20% each. There will be 2 in-class midterm exams. FIRST MIDTERM MONDAY OCTOBER 2 , SECOND MIDTERM FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10

Final exam: worth 35%. There will be a final exam whose scheduling is out of my control. DO NOT BUY AIRPLANE TICKETS BEFORE THE END OF FINALS PERIOD UNTIL YOU FIND OUT YOUR SCHEDULE

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities will need to also contact Disability Support Services in the Ley Student Center.