MATRIX ALGEBRA

(L24 MATH 309 02 or E35 ESE 309 02)

FALL 2007

Time.   TuTh  1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

Room.  January 110

Instructor.  Dr. Martha Hasting, Cupples II room 5, 935-7240, hasting@ese.wustl.edu

Office Hours.  M 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., W 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., F 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and by appointment

Text.  Lay, Linear Algebra and its Applications, Third Edition

Prerequisite.  Math 132 (Calculus II)

Homework.  Homework will be assigned regularly over the material covered in class.  Although most of this homework will not be turned in, you are expected to work all of the suggested problems.  Answers to the odd-numbered problems are in the back of the textbook, and worked-out solutions to many of the problems can be found in the Study Guide.  You will be required to turn in an assignment for grading approximately once per week.  (There will be ten of these assignments in all.)  For further information, see the Homework Policies page.

Exams.  Three in-semester exams will be given.  These will be held on Tuesday, October 2; Thursday, October 25; and Tuesday, November 27.  The final exam will be held on Wednesday, December 19, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., at a location to be announced later.  Attendance at all of these exams is mandatory.  For further information, see the Exam Policies page.

Communication.  (1)  Although you may be able to reach me by phone, you are more likely to be successful if you use e-mail.  Whenever you contact me, please mention not only your name but also the fact that you are in Matrix Algebra.  (2)  I will be e-mailing the class as a whole on a regular basis with information, announcements, or questions, so it is crucial that you pay attention to your "wustl" e-mail.  (3)  This syllabus may be found online at http://ese.wustl.edu/class/fl07/ese309/section02/index.htm.  Please log on to this site and check out all the links.  In particular, you will need to visit the Daily Schedule and Assignments page after class every day so you know which homework problems were assigned. 

Attendance.  Attendance matters.  An attendance record will be kept and will be a factor in determining borderline grades.  (See "Potential Grade-Boosters" below.)  Any time you are absent, it is appreciated if you e-mail me with the reason.

Academic Integrity.  Academic integrity matters even more.  See the Homework Policies page and the Exam Policies page to find out my expectations and policies regarding collaboration.

Grading System.  Your grade will be based on the following.

Potential Grade-Boosters. 

(1)  If it is to your advantage, your lowest in-semester exam score will be replaced by the average of that score with your final exam score.  (In effect, that exam will then count (.5)(20%) = 10%, and the final exam will count 24% + (.5)(20%) = 34%.)

(2)  A perfect attendance record will raise your semester score exactly one percentage point, say from 89.00% to 90.00%.  An excellent (but not perfect) attendance record will raise your score to some lesser degree. 

These are the only two ways to boost your grade.  If they fail to raise it to the level you had hoped for, please do not contact me asking for special consideration or extra credit opportunities.  In the interest of fairness to all, neither will be given.