MATH 4A

Quick links

• Math Department
• Instructor
• Waiting list.
• Webwork (required homework)
• MyMathLab (recommended homework)
• GauchoSpace
• Register your iClicker

People places and things

Lecture

MWF 1:00-1:50 in Campbell Hall.

Section

Once a week. Attendance is compulsory.

Text

David C. Lay, Linear Algebra and Its Applications, Fourth Edition (Hard bound ISBN: 0321399145). You may prefer the loose-leaf version available at the bookstore. A used book, should suffice, except that this will not give you access to the recommended supplemental homework.

Some students may find it useful to own the Student Study Guide for Linear Algebra and Its Applications, available at the campus bookstore.

Instructor

Stephen Bigelow. Office hours:  MWF 10:30-11:30 in South Hall 6514.

email

<math4af13@math.ucsb.edu>. Due to the large class size, it might not be possible to reply to all emails.

TAs

TBD

The course

Prerequisite

Math 3B or 3BI with a grade of C; or a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the BC Calculus AP exam.

Topics

Systems of linear equations, matrix algebra, determinants, vector spaces and subspaces, basis and dimension, linear transformations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization, and orthogonality.

TARDIS

In order to avoid problems with similar names, bad handwriting, etc., you will be given a 4 digit "TARDIS" code in the first discussion. The code identifies your TA, your Regular Discussion section and, within that, you as an Individual Student. This number must be printed in the top right corner of all work (quizzes and exams). Any work without a TARDIS will not be graded.

Grades

Your grade is based on:

• iClicker: 5%
• Webwork and Quizzes: 15%
• First exam: 20%
• Second exam: 20%
• Final exam: 40%

These are curved and combined to give a percentage, which is converted to a letter. See Professor Scharlemann's explanation of this procedure. There are penalties for non-attendance in section.

Incomplete

If you have some good reason for not being able to finish the course, you must complete a form and give it to the registrar before 4pm the day before the final. An incomplete usually becomes an F after one quarter unless you complete before then.

i>Clicker

You should purchase an i>Clicker and bring it to all lectures. You must register or re-register it using your perm number. Either i>Clicker1 or i>Clicker2 can be used.

WebWork

The required homework is done using WebWork , available through GauchoSpace . Each week's homework assignment is due by 6:00 am on the following Monday. For example homework on Sections 1.1-1.3 is due by 6:00 am on the morning of Monday October 7.

MyMathLab

Optional extra homework is available at MyMathLab . The site requires an individual access code (typically bundled with the book) and the course number. Crashers can get free access for 17 days.

MyMathLab homework is graded immediately online. It not count towards your grade in the course, but it will be needed to master the material.

Exams

There will be two exams during the quarter, and one final exam.

• Friday October 18.
• Friday November 15.
• Wednesday December 11, 4-7pm

You must bring to every exam: a bluebook, a convincing photo identification, your seat assignment, and your TARDIS code. You may bring a 3-by-5 inch notecard, but no calculator or other electronics.

If you miss a midterm or quiz due to illness you should bring your TA a note. The note can be from a medical worker or any person in a position of responsibility. If you know you will miss an exam or quiz tell your TA before the event. In either case, at the discretion of the TA you will be given an average for the missed work based on work you did. Check your schedule now, for there will be no make-up exams.

Section

By departmental policy, attendance at your regular discussion section is mandatory. If you miss two discussion sections, your grade will be lowered by 1/3 (eg., B+ becomes B, B- becomes C+).  For each further two missed, your grade will be lowered another 1/3 of a grade. However if your course grade is an A or an A+, these penalties do not apply.

If necessary, you might be able to switch discussion sections. You need permission from both TAs involved, and a new TARDIS. Do not drop and re-register. Officially you will be in the original section, but you will attend and be graded in the new one.

Waitlist

If you are having trouble getting in to the course, sign up for the waiting list. You should enroll in the GauchoSpace page for the course, participate in lecture with an iClicker, and do the WebWork homework online via GauchoSpace. If you subsequently enroll in a different section than the one you were crashing, make sure that both TAs know about this so that your grades may be properly recorded.

Resources