Math 2J Fall 2010

Math 2J (44450, 44465) - Fall 2010

Linear Algebra and Infinite Series

Lecturer Neil Donaldson
Office Rowland Hall 440U
Office Hours 12-1 & 2-3pm MWF
Email ndonalds@math.uci.edu

Lecture Times

Class	Lecture Time	Location	Final
Lecture B (44450)	MWF 11-11.50am	SSL 228	Dec 10th 8-10am
Lecture C (44465)	MWF 1-1.50pm	HH 178	Dec 8th 1.30-3.30pm

Discussion Times

Class	Time	Location	Teaching Assistant	Email	Office	Office Hours
Discussion 20 (44455)	TuTh 12-12.50pm	ICF 103	Sho Seto	shoos@math.uci.edu	RH 480	Th 11-12, 2-3
Discussion 21 (44460)	TuTh 3-3.50pm	ET 202	"	"	"	"
Discussion 30 (44470)	TuTh 8-8.50am	RH 114	Chris Marx	cmarx@uci.edu	RH 428	M 2.15-3.15 F 3.30-4.30
Discussion 31 (44475)	TuTh 4-4.50pm	MSTB 120	"	"	"	"

Chris can also be found in the Tutoring Center (RH 594) on Wed and Fri 8-9a.m.
Make sure you don't get the discussion classes and exams mixed up for the two lecture classes. You must go to the correct discussion class to hand in your homework and you must go to the correct final for your section.

Syllabus & Course Text
The course covers the following topics: Systems of linear equations: matrix operations; determinants; eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Infinite sequences and series; Taylor series; Convergence tests. We will be covering most of chapters 1, 2 and 6 of Steven J. Leon's Linear Algebra with Applications 8th Ed and chapter 12 of James Stewart's Multivariable Calculus 6th Ed. Both books are availble in shortened custom UCI editions containing just the relevant chapters. You should buy the full Linear Algebra text if you plan on taking Math 3A in the future (3A covers the remaining chapters, so all math majors and interested others should obtain the full book). You may already have the multi-variable calculus text because of Math 2A-E (it is part of the full Stewart mega-Calculus book). Homework questions will be set directly from the books, so you must make sure you have access to a copy.
For a more detailed syllabus click here

Assessment

The final grade for the course will be computed as follows: Final 45%, Midterm 20%, Homework 20%, Quizzes 15%.
Homework questions will be set each week, some of which are to be submitted by the end of the discussion class on the Tuesdays of weeks 2,3,4,6,7,8,9. These will be graded and given back to you. Solutions will be posted to some or more of these on the homework website.
There will be four quizzes in the discussion classes: these will happen in discussion on the Tuesdays of weeks 2, 4, 7 & 9. The quizzes will cover material up to and including the previous day's lecture. The first two will be on Linear Algebra and that last two just on Infinite Series.
One quiz and one homework will be dropped.
There will be a single midterm on Monday 10/25 in class covering only the linear algebra material.
The final is in your usual classroom at the time indicated above. The exam will be comprehensive, with a distribution of roughly 75% infinite series and 25% linear algebra material.

How to learn Mathematics
There is only one way to do this successfully: do lots of questions. Learning math is like sports in that you get better by repetition. I don't curve (see Stupid Questions below) so you should not consider yourself in competition with the rest of the class. Use them, ask them questions, discuss your homework answers, form study groups, etc. If you think you know how to do something be prepared to explain it to someone else - only if you can do this successfully do you really understand a concept thoroughly, so don't hoard your answers.
The most important thing you can do, beyond doing lots of questions, is to make sure you really understand the definitions. I will write exams that test some of the subtleties of the definitions. If your method of study is to learn 5 or 6 `standard' questions in the hope that the exams will simply have questions of exactly the same type with different numbers then you'll fail badly. I'm testing your understanding of the concepts of the class, not whether you're a trained monkey who can substitute numbers into formulas without engaging your brain. Do the homework questions, do more questions (especially the harder questions that make you think about concepts), when you get stuck ask about them in discussion or office hours, and make sure you really know the definitions and theorems.

Class Policies
Please read the following before emailing me as I'm liable not to respond if the question is answered here.

Late homework will not be accepted for credit although I will be happy to discuss its mathematical quality with you. Homework is late if you do not hand it to your TA in your discussion class. I will not collect homework at the lecture.
There will be no make up quizzes or exams for anything other than a properly documented reason. If you haven't good evidence for why, then don't waste your time asking about it. If you have a documented medical or some other good reason for missing an assessment you should contact either myself (in the case of the midterm) or your TA (in the case of homeworks/quizzes). This should be done preferably before the test, and certainly as soon as pssoible afterwards. In successful cases it is more likely that an extra assessment will be dropped rather than a make-up test given.
While I am teaching two 2J classes concurrently this quarter you are still obliged to go to the correct class. In particular you will not be allowed to switch the date of your final to that of the other class: make sure you know which class you are registered for and when your final is.
Administration issues regarding quizzes and homeworks, including incorrectly entered grades, are the responsibility of your TA so please contact them about such matters.
Course conflicts: You must be able to register for the lecture class without any conflicts. If you have a conflict with the discussion class then the minimum criteria you must satisfy before I will agree to add you to the class is for you to attend at least half of the discussion time. It is your responsibility to make it to the quizzes as no allowance will be made for your being elsewhere. If you cannot be sure that you are going to be able to make it to the scheduled quizzes then you shouldn't register fot the class. Or, if you do register, do so in the full knowledge that you will score zero for those assessments.
Stupid questions: I absolutely won't respond (expect with private howls of derision) to any questions along the lines of the following:
- How many questions are on the exam? How could this information help you? Since questions have varying difficulty and some will have several parts, any answer would simply be misleading.
- Is there anything I can do for extra credit? No. You should be aware that assuming I will allow you extra credit when you have no good reason for it is one of the most effective ways of questioning my professionalism and is therefore an extremely foolish thing to do. Your grade will be determined solely based on the work you've had the same opportunity to produce as everyone else. That said, if you can think up an excuse that's more pathetic than either of the following genuine attempts then please let me know as I like a good laugh. 1. I've spent all term playing World of Warcraft and I'm failing. How on earth this justifies any special treatment I have no idea - I certainly have no sympathy. 2. I'm doing badly/need an A/B/C, etc. and my parents are going to kill me. Really? It's your job to do the work to get the grade you `need' and, seeing as you're an adult, what your parents think about it is of no concern to anyone.
- Is the class curved? First ask yourself if you even know what `curved' means. Traditionally it means that a fixed percentage (say 10%) of the class will get an A, another fixed percentage will get a B, etc., etc. If that's what you mean by curved, then the answer's definitely, `No I don't curve.' If you mean, `Will an A be different from 90%?,' then yes I curve, though this isn't what curving means to most people. Usually I produce harder exams than most Professors and have a consequently lower average; the percentages required to get particular letter grades are similarly lower. An average of 60% is common. I am perfectly happy to give the entire class an A if everyone deserves it (similarly a D).
- What's on the exam? Everything you've already covered. What other answer is even possible?
- What sections are covered on the quiz? What's the TA's email address? Is there any class on Monday? Etc., etc. Asking questions you can very easily find the answers to either on the website or elsewhere is pure laziness and doesn't engender respect. Point your eyes upwards and read...