Math 370, Fall 2007

Algebra

Faculty: David Harbater
E-mail: harbater AT math.upenn.edu
Telephone: (215) 898-9594; Department office: (215) 898-8178
Office: DRL 4E2A; Department office: DRL 4W1-6.
Office hours: M 2-3.
TA: Harsha Reddy, DRL 4C17, (215) 898-5196, harshavr AT math.upenn.edu.

Course structure:

Lectures: MWF 11-12, DRL A5.
Labs: T or Th, 6:30-8:30pm, DRL 4C8.
Textbook: "Linear Algebra" (second edition) by K. Hoffman and R. Kunze.
Homework: Weekly problem sets, to be handed in at lab. (Bring two copies to lab: one to hand in at the beginning, and the other to consult when presenting solutions at the board. Students are encouraged to talk about the homework with others in their study group, but should write up and hand in their homeworks individually.)
Exams: Two midterm exams in class, Mon., Oct. 8 and Mon., Nov. 12. Final exam, Thurs., Dec. 13, 9-11am, DRL A4. Solutions to Exam 2

Description of course: This is the first semester of a year-long undergraduate course in linear and abstract algebra. The first semester will emphasize topics in linear algebra, such as matrices, vector spaces, linear transformations, and inner products. Some aspects of abstract algebra (groups, rings, fields) will also be discussed in the first semester as relevant to the discussion of linear algebra; but the second semester (Math 371) will discuss those topics in greater depth.

The course will be varied, involving theory, computations, and examples. It is open to undergraduate students, both to math majors and others. The course is more in-depth and more theoretical than the linear algebra course Math 312, which does not give math major credit. Math 502 is a more advanced and more theoretical course on abstract and linear algebra than Math 370, and that course is open both to undergraduate and graduate students. It is advisable for students in Math 370 to have had some exposure to vectors and matrices, e.g. in Math 240. Students who would like to consult an additional text may wish to look at the paperback book "Linear Algebra" by Lipschutz and Lipson in the Schaum Outline series.

Homework assignments for Math 370

Problem Set 1
Problem Set 2
Problem Set 3
Problem Set 4
Problem Set 5
Problem Set 6
Problem Set 7
Problem Set 8
Problem Set 9
Problem Set 10
Problem Set 11
Problem Set 12
Problem Set 13
Problem Set 14 (Optional; can be submitted at review session, Tues., Dec. 11, 6:30pm, in DRL 4C8.)

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