AMS 10/10A, math methods for engineers 1, provides a basic introduction to linear algebra, its applications and the software package MATLAB.

The course covers the following topics: complex numbers, systems of linear equations; Gauss-Jordan elimination; matrix algebra; determinants; vector spaces, linear independence, basis and dimension; eigenvalues and eigenvectors; finally, Geometry in Euclidean space and orthogonality. MATLAB will be studied and used in the lab sections.

Please see the lecture schedule below for more details and exam dates.

The textbook for the course is Linear Algebra and its Applications, 3rd edition (updated version), by David Lay. The textbook is not just a repository for exercises and boxed formulas - it is meant to be read. The section numbers listed in the lecture schedule below refer to sections in the book and you should read the indicated sections (at least) once before the material is discussed in class, and then again afterwards. Reading the material in the text (and the supplement) is a very important part your studying regimen.

Euclidean space and its subspaces; Dimension; Rank of a matrix.
Sections 2.8 - 2.9.

This course covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time. To do well in the class, I recommend the following.

1. Attend all lectures and sections.
2. Read the book and the supplementary notes! The textbook is not just a repository for homework problems. You should read the appropriate sections in the text before we talk about them in lecture, and then read them again after lecture. Read actively - by this I mean that you should follow the text with paper and pencil, work out the details of the examples, supplement your class notes with material from the book, annotate the book with comments from your class notes, etc.
3. Don't do all your studying in one or two blocks - study 1-2 hours a day, reviewing your class notes, doing some of the homework, studying the review questions, etc. All in all, you should expect to spend an average of 8-12 hours studying outside of class each week.
4. In addition to studying by yourself, spend several hours a week studying with 1-3 friends - take turns explaining the material to each other and showing how to solve problems.
5. Use all the resources:
   • Go to MSI for help with the homework.
   • Visit me or a TA during office hours to clear up any questions you have about the material as they arise.
   • Ask questions in lecture/section.

Sections

The sections are mandatory. It is in the sections that you will learn to use MATLAB, and additionally, there will be periodic quizzes in section that will contribute to your course grade. The quizzes will include basic questions on linear algebra and on MATLAB.

PLEASE NOTE: There is no extra credit work in this course and no exceptions are made in the grading. There will be no make-up exams, so please mark the exam dates in your personal calendar and don't miss them.

If you have an excused absence from one of the midterms, then your other scores will be reweighed accordingly.

Your grade in the course depends on your exam scores, your quiz scores and your homework. There will be two short midterm exams, a comprehensive final exam, occasional quizzes in section and 8-9 homework assignments. See the schedule above for exam dates and see the homework page for the assignments and more information about the homework.

Your overall score in the class is computed as follows.

• The average of your highest 6-7 homework scores comprises 10% of your overall score.
• The average of your highest 3-4 quiz scores comprises 10% of your overall score.
• Your highest midterm score comprises 20% of your overall score.
• Your lowest midterm score comprises 10% of your overall score.
• Your score on the final exam comprises 50% of your overall score.

Regardless of your overall score, you must score at least 55% on the final exam to pass.

Your letter grade is determined from your score according to the following approximate ranges.