MATH
220 - Matrices
Spring Semester 2013
Course Description
Systems
of linear equations; matrix algebra; eigenvalues and eigenvectors;
orthogonality and least squares; symmetric matrices and quadratic forms.
Textbook
Information
Linear Algebra and its Applications by David Lay, Fourth Edition,
Pearson. ISBN number: 0-321-38517-9
| Graded Event | Points |
| Midterm Exam | 100 |
| Quizzes/ Homework | 100 |
| Final Exam | 150 |
Midterm
Exam
One midterm examination will be given in this course. The exam will be
held on Tuesday, February 26, 6:30pm-7:45pm. Information on
the
location of the examination will be provided later in the semester.
If you miss an exam without an official excuse (such as illness or official university business), then you may be allowed to take a makeup exam, but with an automatic 25% deduction from the grade. To avoid this deduction, you must notify your instructor with your official excuse before the date and time of the exam.
Final
Exam
The final examination in the course will be comprehensive. It
will be given during the university's final examination week, April 29 - May 3, 2013. Do not make plans to leave the
university before the end
of this week. Travel plans do not constitute an
official university
excuse for missing an examination or for obtaining a conflict or makeup
examination. Hence, the above note regarding a 25% deduction
will
be enforced in the event that a student's travel plans conflict with
the
university's designated final examination period for this course.
Academic
Integrity
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open,
honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding
principle
for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all
members of the University community are expected to act in accordance
with
this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code
of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity,
respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create
and
maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of
their efforts.
Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
Based on the University's Faculty Senate Policy 49-20, a range of academic sanctions may be taken against a student who engages in academic dishonesty. Please see the Eberly College of Science Academic Integrity homepage for additional information and procedures.
Grading
Grades will be assigned using the scale shown in the following table.
| Percent | Grade |
|
90-100
|
A |
|
80-89
|
B |
|
70-79
|
C |
|
60-60
|
D |
|
0-59
|
F |
Note that these ranges may be adjusted downward and that plus and minus grades will be determined within the appropriate ranges; i.e., in general, the lowest three percentage points of a range will be minus and the highest three percentage points of a range will be plus.
Class
Attendance
Although regular classroom attendance will not figure into your grade
in a tangible way, regular attendance is strongly encouraged in this
class. It should be obvious that attending all classes is extremely
beneficial
to you. Seeing the material presented in a lecture is extremely
helpful. Having questions answered in class
(as well as hearing other students' questions) is also a
benefit.
Learn for the long term. Strive to retain the knowledge that you acquire. Do not simply try to learn material a couple of days before an exam with the goal of forgetting it right after finals. View the learning of the material as an active process, not a passive one. (You are here to learn, not to receive grades.) Learning is a process, not an event.
Strive to know the material, to understand it at a very deep level, rather than a superficial one.
Do the homework with as little help (solutions manuals, friends, etc.) as possible. Balance the use of group learning with individual study so you actually know the material.
Ask questions, either in class or during office hours.
Read the textbook/handouts before the planned lecture whenever possible.
Carefully study and rework the examples in the text/handouts.
Re-read and rewrite your notes.
Study for exams progressively, over a long period of time. Begin the studying process at least one week prior to the date of the exam.
Manage your time wisely. Plan to spend at least two hours outside of class for every hour in class, if not more!
Get plenty of rest. Staying up late every night is usually not a beneficial practice academically.
Course Coordinator
James Sellers
(sellersj@psu.edu)
Professor and Director, Undergraduate Mathematics