Math 309 B: Introductory Linear Algebra
Fall 2017
Instructor: Alexandru Chirvasitu

Lectures: Office: 216 Mathematics Building
Office hours: Thursdays 3:50-4:50 and 6:10-7:10 PM
Email: achirvas AT buffalo.edu

TA: Nicholas Palastro

Recitations: Office: 138 Mathematics Building
Office hours: Wednesdays 10 - 11 AM and Thursdays 1 - 2 PM
Email: nmpalast AT buffalo.edu
There is a sample Math 309 syllabus here. Ideally that'll be a pretty good indication of the material and pace of the class.
Textbook

We're using the 3rd custom UB edition of Linear Algebra and its Applications by Lay, Lay and McDonald. You do need it, as I'll be assigning problems from it as homework by just telling you the problem numbers. The 3rd UB custom edition is apparently identical to the standard 5th edition of the same book.
Reading

I'll probably ask you to read some of the sections in the textbook before most lectures, so we're in sync. I'll post the reading assignments here, numbered as sections of the textbook. The date is that of the lecture, so please do the reading before that.

Due date Assignment Remarks
1 Wed Aug 30 1.1
2 Fri Sep 01 1.2
Mon Sep 04 Labor Day: no meeting
3 Wed Sep 06 1.3
Fri Sep 08 No lecture that day
4 Mon Sep 11 1.4
5 Wed Sep 13 1.5, 1.6
6 Fri Sep 15 1.7, 1.8
7 Mon Sep 18 2.1, 2.2
9 Wed Sep 20 2.3
10 Fri Sep 22 2.8, 2.9 This concludes the material
for our first midterm.
11 Mon Sep 25 3.1 Not on Midterm 1
12 Wed Sep 27 Study for the midterm This will be a kind of Q&A meeting;
you can ask whatever material-related questions
come to mind in class
in preparation for the test.
13 Fri Sep 29 Midterm 1
14 Mon Oct 02 3.2
15 Wed Oct 04 3.3
16 Fri Oct 06 4.1
17 Mon Oct 09 4.2
18 Wed Oct 11 4.3
19 Fri Oct 13 4.4
20 Mon Oct 16 4.5
21 Wed Oct 18 4.6
22 Fri Oct 20 5.1 Everything after Midterm 1 up to here
is Midterm 2 material.
23 Mon Oct 23 5.2 Not on Midterm 2
24 Wed Oct 25 Study for the midterm As before, pre-exam Q&A in class.
Have questions ready!
25 Fri Oct 27 Midterm 2
26 Mon Oct 30 5.3
27 Wed Nov 01 5.4
28 Fri Nov 03 5.5
29 Mon Nov 06 6.1
30 Wed Nov 08 6.2
31 Fri Nov 10 6.3
32 Mon Nov 13 6.4
33 Wed Nov 15 6.5
34 Fri Nov 17 7.1
No classes the whole week of Nov 20
35 Mon Nov 27 7.2
Study for the midterm		 This concludes the material for
the entire semester.
Pre-exam Q&A
36 Wed Nov 29 Study some more Q&A again
37 Fri Dec 01 Midterm 3


Supplementary material

On occasion, I'll post extra notes, comments, etc. in this space.
Homework

All assignments are due Friday in class except for the very first one, as indicated in the table below. The entries are lists of problems from our textbook.

No late homework for any reason, but we are dropping the two lowest scores.

Due date Assignment Remarks
1 Mon Sep 11 1.1: 3, 17, 25
1.2:: 4, 15, 24, 30
1.3: 6, 12, 24, 25, 30
1.4: 6, 14, 24, 30, 32
2 Fri Sep 15 1.5:: 6, 10, 28
1.6: 1, 8, 14
1.7: 2, 12, 22, 36
1.8: 4, 8, 20, 30
3 Fri Sep 22 2.1: 8, 18, 28
2.2: 4, 11, 21
2.3: 4, 12, 28
2.8: 4, 12, 22, 30
2.9: 4, 15, 18, 23		 Hw problems thus far are
your Midterm 1 practice.
Midterm 1: no hw due Sep 29
4 Fri Oct 06 3.1: 4, 16, 22, 24
3.2: 4, 24, 28, 36
3.3: 8, 14, 18, 31
4.1: 4, 8, 21, 24, 32
5 Fri Oct 13 4.2: 2, 8, 26,28, 31
4.3: 6, 11, 20, 22, 34
4.4: 6, 13, 18, 23, 28
6 Fri Oct 20 4.5: 4, 10, 15, 26, 30
4.6: 6, 8, 14, 18, 24
5.1: 2, 18, 20, 26, 29		 Assignments 4-6 are
your Midterm 2 practice.
Midterm 2: no hw due Oct 27
7 Fri Nov 03 5.3: 4, 12, 22, 24, 32
5.4: 2, 6, 12, 18, 20
5.5: 4, 8, 16, 22, 25
8 Fri Nov 10 6.1: 2, 10, 14, 20, 25
6.2: 2, 12, 24, 26, 30
6.3: 2, 12, 20, 22, (a) and (b) of 24
9 Fri Nov 17 6.4: 4, 8, 16, 18, 19
6.5: 4, 8, 14, 17, 20
7.1: 8, 24, 25, 27, 30
Wed Nov 29 7.2: 4, 7, 11, 21, 22, 23, 24
 Do not turn in!
suggested practice for 7.2 material
that might be on the last exam
Midterm 3 on Dec 01


The grader will assign each homework a grade out of 10 with only a few problems being graded (3 or 4 or so). There will also be points awarded for the overall completeness of the assignment. I won't be telling you in advance which problems are being graded though..

Do collaborate on the homework if you like, but write up your own solutions. I also strongly advise you to have a look at the UB Academic Integrity Policy, as it very much applies to this class.

And by all means drop by at office hours if you need a hand.
Exams

We're having three midterms, all in class at the usual time. The dates are as follows


Updated exam policy:

No electronics of any kind, but you are allowed any reading material you think will be of use to you, so long as it is on paper: textbook, class notes, note sheets you prepare, your own past homework assignments, etc.

The exams are not cumulative; each concerns the material covered since the previous one, as marked in the reading and homework tables above.

There will be no make-up exams. Should you miss one for a very serious reason (e.g. illness), you'll need documentation (such as a doctor's note) justifying the absence. Under such circumstances I will agree to substitute the average of the other two exams for the one you missed.
Grading
We'll drop the two lowest homework scores.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me.

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