M120 Linear Algebra

Course Information

The only course that I teach online is Linear Algebra (offline I teach courses that vary from semester to semester). In short, Linear Algebra is all about vectors and matrices. In a little more detail, it's about systems of linear equations, vector spaces, bases, linear transformations, eigendecompositions, and applications thereof.

To attend the course you'll need to have completed two semesters of Calculus, and you'll need access to a computer connected to the internet. While there are no fixed meeting times for class, there are required zoom meetings for quizzes and exams. These meetings have a relatively flexible schedule. I try my best to accommodate your schedule during a week of an quiz or exam.

Course Syllabus

Math 120 Syllabus

Equity Statement

"Shakespeare, Pushkin, Beethoven, Mozart, Gauss, Einstein, Stephen Curry, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Jerry Rice - these people are not extraordinary. They just knew how to practice very effectively!" -anonymous.

I firmly believe that all of us as individuals have the potential to achieve greatness. What sometimes holds us back may be our history, our culture, the perception that we are placed by others in a certain box, a certain category, to the extent that eventually we give into that categorization and reach the fateful conclusion that "I am not a math person." This is barrier number one that needs to be overcome. Believe in yourself.

After that you might begin to exercise good academic techniques. You will be disciplined in your study. You will understand that it is OK to make mistakes, that learning requires a lot of struggle and frustration. Understand these things, and then the sky is the limit of your academic achievement.

And if you so choose, you may be able to stand on the shoulders of some white-guy 'genius' and make a name for yourself in the pantheon of scholastic greatness. I believe this is possible if you are human, regardless of your race or ethnicity, your history, gender or economic background. You can learn math, and if you want to, then you can go forth and do great things with it.

Course Description

This is a course on Linear Algebra. We will learn about Real vector spaces, subspaces, linear dependence and span, matrix algebra and determinants, basis and dimension, inner product spaces, linear transformations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, proofs of basic results.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

M110B (2nd semester Calculus)

Student Learning Outcomes:

Define and apply real vector spaces and linear transformations.
Solve problems involving systems of linear equations and matrices.
Solve problems by working with the geometric structure of inner product spaces.
Prove basic linear algebra theorems.

Class Meetings

There are no required meetings as a class for this course. However, there are required meetings for quizzes and exams. In the week when there is a quiz or an exam, you can sign up for the meeting using Canvas's Calendar .

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system [for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmates' work, sharing resources, and viewing grades]. I can help with the course material and with some Canvas issues. But, if you need help uploading an assignment or with the mechanics of Canvas, please use the Student Canvas Guides or live support available through Canvas Chat.

For 24/7 help with Canvas, you may use Canvas Chat Support.

Textbooks

You should have at least one textbook for reference. Much of the material we cover can be found in almost any textbook on introductory linear algebra. Here are some examples

“Linear Algebra” Jim Hefferon. available for free at https://hefferon.net/linearalgebra/
“No bullshit guide to Linear Algebra.” Ivan Savov, 2020
"The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra" Shin Takahashi et al. 2012
“Introduction to Linear Algebra” Gilbert Strang 2016

There are also two books available on reserve at the Rosenberg Library at the Ocean Campus of CCSF

"Elementary Linear Algebra" Howard Anton
"Linear Algebra and its Applications" David Lay et al. 2015

Course Communication

Contact Info

Instructor: Peter Rankenburg
Contact me preferably using Canvas Inbox
You may also contact me via email: prankenburg@ccsf.edu or peter.rankenburg@mail.ccsf.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 4-5pm; Friday's by appointment.
(Virtual) Office Location: https://ccsf-edu.zoom.us/j/6659048519

Communication Plan

I will post an announcement each week with a brief description of what we're doing that week. I may post an additional announcement if there's a quiz or exam that week. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences as soon as an Announcement is sent.
I will respond to your messages within 24 hours during the work week (Monday-Friday), excluding holidays, or if you are notified otherwise.
Unless you are informed otherwise, your work will be graded within one week of the due date. You will receive private comments on your discussion posts, course journal entries, and project and final exams.
Virtual Office Hours are: XXX. If you would like to meet me in person, let me know and we can arrange to meet at CCSF Ocean campus.

Q&A Discussion

There is a "Q&A Discussion" is available on the home page as a quick link. The Q&A Discussion is for you to ask for the assistance of your classmates or the instructor. This is a place where you may ask any math questions, or other questions about the course.

Unstructured Discussion

There is also a student lounge, where you can communicate about anything you want, math or other. If you want to know the best Sushi restaurant in San Francisco, then you can ask in the lounge. You probably won't get a good answer from me (I don't eat much Sushi), but someone else in the class know.

Grading

Assessment Weights

Homework - 35%
Quizzes - 35%
Exams - 30%

Homework

There will be a homework assignment almost every week of the course. You can expect up to five required problems per assignment (some possibly with many parts), along with optional extra credit problems. Additionally, you will get some homework points for reviewing and commenting on some of your colleagues work.

Quizzes

The quizzes are basically take-home group tests, along with a zoom meeting. You will be given several quiz problems in the week prior to the meeting. You should do the problems as best you can prior to that meeting. During the zoom meeting you will be paired with two or three other students. You will get your own private breakout room to compare your answers to the quiz problems before calling me to your room to explain your answers. When I come to your room I will randomly select students to explain the quiz problems. The entire group will get a single grade based on their explanations - each student in the group will receive the same grade on a given quiz.

Exams

Exams are just like quizzes, except you don't work in groups. Sample Exam problems will be posted during the week prior to an exam. You should do the exam problems as best you can before meeting with me via zoom. During the meeting I will ask you to either explain your solutions to some of the sample exam problems, or to help me solve some problems very similar to the given sample problems.

Course Policies

Course Communication.

If you have math questions and you can't reach me during office hours, please don't hesitate to contact me either through Canvas inbox (preferred), or by email at peter.rankenburg@mail.ccsf.edu . I do my best to respond to any such contact within 24 hours Monday through Friday. On the weeks when you turn in homework online, I work hard to have your assignment graded within one week after the due date. If you find that I'm unresponsive for an extended period of time, that probably means that life has got me down, and I'm in dire need of some moral support. If you just send me a friendly nudge, I'll get back on track asap.

Drop Policy.

I understand that there are more important things than math class. In return, please understand that if a student hasn't been active in this course for an extended period of time, then I am supposed to drop that student from the class. Here are some details:

Drop Policy during the first week.

Our first zoom meeting is on (TBD) at (TBD). If you can't meet at that time, that's ok, but you will need to contact me prior to the meeting so that we can reschedule to meet via zoom at some other time. If you don't attend the meeting and if you don't contact me, then you will be dropped from the course.

Drop Policy outside of the first week.

We will be meeting approximately every other week for either a quiz or an exam. If you miss a quiz or an exam meeting, then I will send you a message via Canvas inbox to check in on you. If you miss a second consecutive meeting, then you may be dropped from the course. Please note that if you decide that you need to drop the course, it would help me a lot if you do so on your own and not by relying on me.

Important drop dates.

The last day to drop and receive a full refund for the course is (fill in blank). Note that even if you are a San Francisco resident and your tuition is free, if you drop a course after this date then you will need to pay the tuition for the course before registering for any other course at CCSF.

The last day to drop and receive a grade of W is (fill in blank).

Late Homework Policy.

This course is not self-paced. Vector and Matrix concepts will snowball together rather quickly, so it is important to try to stay on pace. Please remember each week to start viewing the lectures and the assignments as soon as you can so that you get an idea of how much time and effort you will need to invest to complete the work for that week.

That being said, there may be weeks where other things will get in the way of your academic studies. You may turn in homework late, but you incur a small penalty (10%) for each late day, up to 5 days after the original due date. After that, you may still get half credit on homework turned in before the next exam.

Plagiarism.

In short, don't do it: don't copy work from other sources. Some students find that there is a fine line between "working together," and blatantly copying someone else's work. To be clear, working together with fellow students is a very good thing. You can learn a lot from one another! But don't let that collective effort go as far as one student doing everything, while other students copy the results. I want to encourage you to help, and to receive help from, other students. Additionally, you may refer to textbooks and online resources. However, when you are writing up your solutions to homework, quizzes or exams, you should do so on your own - with books and computers closed, and after you have discussed the problems with any other people. Penalties for plagiarism will be decided on a case by case basis, ranging from losing points on an assignment to being referred to the Students' Affairs Office, and/or being dropped from the course.

Plagiarism aside, in general students who register in CCSF classes must abide by the CCSF Student Code of Conduct. Violation of the code is basis for referral to the Student Conduct Coordinator or dismissal from class or the College. See the Office of Student Affairs.

Accommodation

If you need classroom or testing accommodations because of a disability, or you have emergency medical information to share with me, or need special arrangements if the building needs to be evacuated, please let me know as soon as you can.

Students seeking disability-related accommodations are encouraged to register with Disabled Students Programs and Services located in Room 323 of the Rosenberg Library (415) 452-5481. Please see the DSPS website for more information and alternate locations.Links to an external si

Expectations

Student Expectations

You will succeed in this course if you meet the following expectations:

Start each module as soon as you can. There will be challenging concepts that come up regularly. The sooner you become aware of these, the better.
Look at each homework, quiz and exam as soon as possible. Even if you don't know what the questions are asking (at first), you can get an idea of what you'll need to complete by the end of that week.
Take notes of the video lectures. What concepts does each video introduce? What examples does it give? Try to summarize each video.
Do the best that you can do. Nobody can ask for anything more.

Instructor Expectations

Here is what you can expect of me:

I will respond to your email or message within 24 hours during the week unless I inform you otherwise.
I will treat you and your ideas with respect.
I will grade your homework assignments and exams within a week. (If you have posted late work, it may take longer.) You will see your grades in the Canvas Gradebook.
I will do my best to make this a great class.