2024 Spring Course Syllabus - Mathematics 3051.001

Course: Mathematics 3051.001.

Course Title: Theoretical Linear Algebra.

Credits: 4.

How this course will be taught: In person.

Time: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9:20-10:30am.

Place: Wachman 16.

Instructor: Thomas Goller.

Instructor Office: Wachman 1021.

Instructor Email: thomas.goller@temple.edu

Instructor Phone: Use email.

Office Hours: Drop-in office hours are Mon./Wed. 10:45-11:45am and Fri. 1:30-2:30pm at my office. Feel free to email me to arrange an in-person or Zoom meeting at another time, and I will try to accommodate you.

Prerequisites: Math 2111 with a grade of C or higher and at least one of (Math 2045, Math 2101, Math 2103, Math 3045) with a grade of C- or higher.

Course Materials: Linear Algebra Done Right, 4th Ed. (by S. Axler, Springer, 2024).

Course Goals: Students should demonstrate a deep understanding of key concepts, techniques, and theorems of linear algebra, which are fundamental to much of modern mathematics. Students should demonstrate clear and precise writing of mathematical arguments, especially rigorous proofs. Students should demonstrate effective collaboration with their classmates in understanding mathematics and solving mathematics problems.

Topics Covered: This is a course in linear algebra with a higher degree of abstraction than Math 2101. Topics include vector spaces, linear maps, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, inner product spaces, operators, and multilinear algebra.

Course Grading: Homework: 40%, Learning Celebrations: 40%, Final Exam: 20%.

Exam Dates: Learning Celebrations: Feb. 7, Feb. 28, Mar. 27, Apr. 17 (these are Wednesdays), in class. Final Exam: May 3 (Friday), Wachman 16, 8:00-10:00am.

Attendance Policy: Attendance is required. If you miss a class, read the relevant section in the textbook and ask another student for class notes and to find out about other information you may have missed.

Attendance and Your Health: To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to your instructors' requirements. However, if you feel unwell or if you are under quarantine or in isolation because you have been exposed to the virus or tested positive for it, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. Students have the responsibility to contact their instructors to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as they are able to do so and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion when illness delays their completion.

Calculator Policy: Calculators are not permitted during Learning Celebrations and on the Final Exam.

Canvas Page: All course materials will be available on the Canvas page for this course. Check Canvas frequently for course materials and announcements.

Homework: Weekly homework assignments are the most important component of the course, as working on challenging problems promotes deep learning of the course material. You should expect to spend at least 5-10 hours per week working on the problems and to write neat and thorough solutions. Homework will be graded carefully, and general feedback will be posted on Canvas. You are encouraged to discuss homework problems with other students and get hints in office hours or from a tutor, but you should write all solutions yourself using your own words.

Late Policy: Late submission of homework assignments may be permitted if prior notice of a compelling reason is given (inform me before the deadline) or in case of an emergency (inform me as soon as possible after the emergency). No late submissions can be accepted after graded homework is returned.

Roles: This course is about your (and your classmates') journey of learning theoretical linear algebra (e.g. see the course goals). In your role as a traveler, you should use the resources available to you (class meetings, homework, textbook, your classmates, your instructor, etc.) to help you progress on your learning journey and to contribute to your classmates' progress. My role is that of a guide, namely to facilitate your progress by a variety of means, including coordinating learning activities, providing resources and feedback, and sharing insights from my own journey of learning linear algebra.

Letter Grades: The following standard grade scheme provides a baseline: 93-100 A, 90-92 A-, 87-89 B+, 83-86 B, 80-82 B-, 77-79 C+, 73-76 C, 70-72 C-, 67-69 D+, 63-66 D, 60-62 D-, 0-59 F. I may be slightly more generous when assigning letter grades.

Make-up Policy: Make-ups for missed Learning Celebrations (LCs) can be arranged if prior notice of a compelling reason is given (inform me at least a week in advance) or in cases of documented emergencies (contact me as soon as possible after the emergency). No make-ups can be given after graded LCs are returned.

Exam Security Policy: We have a zero tolerance policy towards cheating. Students caught cheating on a problem during a Learning Celebration or on the Final Exam (receiving outside help, using unauthorized resources or devices such as calculators, online resources, etc.) will receive a score of 0 for the entire assessment. This is consistent with the Temple University Academic Honor Code (see https://secretary.temple.edu/sites/secretary/files/policies/03.70.12.pdf ) that states: "Every member of the university community is responsible for upholding the highest standards of honesty at all times. Students, as members of the community, are responsible for adhering to the principles of academic honesty and integrity". More serious penalties are possible and those caught cheating will be reported to the office of student conduct.

Disability Statement: Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in Howard Gittis Student Center South, Rm 420 (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.

Academic Freedom: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here (opens in new tab/window).

Add/Drop Policy: Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.

During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

AI Policy: The use of generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, etc.) is not permitted in this class unless specifically announced for a particular assignment; therefore, any use of AI tools for work in this class may be considered a violation of Temple University's Academic Honesty policy and Student Conduct Code, since the work is not your own. The use of unauthorized AI tools will result in a grade of zero on the assignment; a second offense will be reported to the Student Conduct Board.

Incomplete Policy: The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Student Support Services: The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window):
    The Math Consulting Center
    Student Success Center
    University Libraries
    Undergraduate Research Support
    Career Center
    Tuttleman Counseling Services
    Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.