Syllabus for Math 320
Koç University, Fall 2020
Title of the Course: Linear Algebra
Instructor: Ali Mostafazadeh
(Office: SCI-154; Office Hours: Mon. & Wed.16:00-17:00)
Textbook: ‘Linear Algebra Done Right,’ S. Axler Second
Edition (Springer, New York, 2002)
Website: http://home.ku.edu.tr/~amostafazadeh/math320/Math%20320_2020F/math320.htm
Topics to be covered: Vector spaces, subspaces,
their sums and direct sums (Chapter 1); finite-dimensional real and complex
vector spaces (Chapter 2); linear maps between vector spaces (Chapter 3);
eigenvalue problem (Chapter 5); inner-product spaces (Chapter 6); linear
operators between inner-product spaces, self-adjoint,
normal, and positive operators, the spectral theorem (Chapter 7); generalized
eigenvectors, minimal polynomials, and Jordan decomposition (Chapter 8); Basis
transformations, trace, and the determinant (Chapter 10)*
Objective: To provide the
student with a basic knowledge of linear algebra at a level that is required in
more advanced mathematics and physics courses such as functional analysis and
quantum mechanics. Students taking this course will be exposed to a detailed
treatment of the vector and inner-product spaces in finite dimensions and the
corresponding theory of linear operators.
Evaluation method: Students’ progress
will be evaluated according to their performance in six extended quizzes (12%
each) and a final exam (28%). If a student fails the course and takes the
remedial exam, his/her grade in this exam will be substituted for his/her grade
in the final exam and his letter grade will be determined accordingly.
Eligibility to take
the final exam: In order to become eligible to take the final
exam a student should take at least three of the quizzes and his/her average
grade in quizzes should not be below 30 out of 100.
Attendance &
Bonus:
If a student attends 30+n lectures, a total of n bonus points will be added to
his/her grade in the final exam. No bonus points will be added to the remedial
exam grades.
Make-up &
Remedial Exams: If a student misses a quiz and has a valid excuse, his (her) grade in
the final exam will be substituted for the grade in the missed quiz(zes). If (s)he also misses the final exam, (s)he will be
given zero in the quiz(zes) that (s)he has missed
regardless of whether (s)he has a valid excuse or not. If a student misses the
final exam and has a valid excuse, (s)he will be given a make-up exam. Students
who fail the course but have a chance of passing it by scoring 100 points in
the remedial exam will be allowed to take this exam.
Auditing Students: In order to get an
AU, a student must attend at least 30 lectures.
Suggested Method of
Study:
Students are advised to study the material covered in class immediately after
the lectures. Reading the lecture notes and the book is necessary for grasping
the subject, but it is by no means sufficient. The students must try to
reproduce the results derived in class and solve the related exercise problems
on their own. They are expected to spend an average of four hours per week on studying the material covered in class in
addition to the time they need to spend on suggested exercise problems.
* This topic will or
will not be covered depending on the progress of the class.