MATH 4A

Linear Algebra with Applications

Fall 2019

The basics

Prereq's
Math 3B or 3BI with a grade of C, or a score of 3, 4 or 5 on the BC Calculus AP exam.
Text
David C. Lay, Linear Algebra and its Applications, Fifth Edition (ISBN-13: 978-0321982384). An older edition or ebook is probably fine. There is also an optional student study guide.
Topics
Systems of linear equations, matrix algebra, determinants, vector spaces and subspaces, basis and dimension, linear transformations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization, and orthogonality.
Lectures
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 1:00-1:50 in Campbell Hall.
Instructor
Stephen Bigelow
Office hours: Monday and Friday 2:30-4:00 in Kerr Hall 1150 (not my office!) or by appointment.
email: bigelow@math.ucsb.edu (I will try to answer, but it's a big class so I might be slow and my answers might be short.)
TAs
Stephen Pablo, Christine Alar, Glen Frost, John Pugmire, Sam Sehayek, Andy Haoqiao Sun, Mulun Yin, and José Zavala-Fonesca.
You can find their emails here.

The course

Grades
Your grade is based on the following five scores. These are curved and combined to give a percentage, which is converted to a letter.
i>Clicker
You should buy an i>Clicker and bring it to lectures. RE-register your clicker by following the link from the course webpage on Gauchospace.
Please read ahead in the textbook before coming to lecture. I might test you with an i>Clicker question.
Homework
Homework is on WebWork, available through GauchoSpace . It is usually due Fridays at 10:00pm (but please do it early).
Section
By departmental policy, attendance at your regular discussion section is mandatory. If you have to miss a section, please contact your TA beforehand.
You might be able to switch discussion sections. Do not drop and re-register. You only need permission from both TAs involved. Officially you will be in the original section, but you will attend and be graded in the new one.
Exams
There will be two exams during the term, and one final exam. You must bring a blank BLUEBOOK to all exams. [No longer true: we will use Gradescope.]
You may bring one 3" x 5" card but no calculator.
If you miss a midterm or quiz for a legitimate reason, tell me so I can base your grade on the work you did. If you do badly on a midterm but do well on the final, I might base your grade just on the final exam, but I'd prefer you didn't ask me about this.

Resources

Enrollment
Rachel Zaragoza is in charge of issues related to enrollment. You can visit her in the math office on the sixth floor of South Hall. The course has an online waiting list. If you are on the waiting list, you should do everything as if you were enrolled, and hope for the best. I do not have add codes and I am no help on enrollment issues.
Help
Here are some ways to get help.
Incompletes
If you cannot complete the course for a serious reason, you must complete a form and give it to the registrar before 4pm the day before the final. Here are the policies on incompletes.