Course:  Math 18

Title:  Linear Algebra

Credit Hours:  4  (Students may not receive credit for both Math 18 and 31AH.)

Prerequisite:  Math Placement Exam qualifying score, or AP Calculus AB score of 2, or SAT II Math Level 2 score of 600 or higher, or Math 3C, or Math 4C, or Math 10A, or Math 20A, or consent of instructor.

Catalog Description:  Matrix algebra, Gaussian elimination, determinants, Linear and affine subspaces, bases of Euclidean spaces. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, quadratic forms, orthogonal matrices, diagonalization of symmetric matrices. Applications. Computing symbolic and graphical solutions using Matlab.

Textbook: Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 5th edition, by David C. Lay; published by Pearson (Addison Wesley)   This is the textbook available at the UC San Diego bookstore.

Subject Material:  We will cover parts of chapters 1-7 of the text.

Lecture:  Attending the lecture is a fundamental part of the course; you are responsible for understanding material presented in the lecture whether or not it is discussed in the textbook.  You should expect questions on the exams that will test your understanding of concepts discussed in the lecture.

Reading:  Reading the sections of the textbook corresponding to the assigned homework exercises is considered part of the homework assignment; you are responsible for understanding material in the assigned reading whether or not it is discussed in the lecture.  Please do not hesitate to ask questions about topics from the assigned reading during office hours or on our Piazza forum.

Canvas:   We will use Canvas as our LMS to disseminate grades, send out email announcements, and for other purposes as appropriate.

Homework:  Homework is a very important part of the course and in order to fully master the topics it is essential that you work carefully on every assignment and try your best to complete every problem. We will have two different kinds of homework assignments in this class: Written Assignments (which will be graded) and Suggested Exercises (which will not be graded).

• Suggested Exercises:  These exercises will not be turned in and will not be graded. However, you will be expected to understand the ideas illustrated by these exercises. Your instructors will use these exercises to come up with ideas for exam questions.
• Written Assignments:  These exercises are to be turned in and will be graded using Gradescope. To turn them in, upload them as a PDF or image file to Gradescope by the deadline. (Instructions for uploading files and submitting assignments can be found at Gradescope's Help Center.) Late written assignments will not be accepted; however, your lowest two written assignment scores will be dropped.

MATLAB:   In applications of linear algebra, the theoretical concepts that you will learn in lecture are used together with computers to solve large scale problems.  Thus, in addition to your written homework, you will be required to do homework using the computer language MATLAB.  The Math 18 MATLAB Assignments page contains all information relevant to the MATLAB component of Math 18, including due dates.  You can do the homework on any campus computer that has MATLAB, and you can also make use of UCSD's MATLAB site license to install MATLAB on your own computer by visiting the MATLAB for UCSD Students page.  Questions regarding the MATLAB assignments should be directed to the TAs.  There are also tutors available beginning Thursday or Friday of the first week of classes in B432 of AP&M.  Please upload your MATLAB homework assignments to Gradescope by the due date according to the instructions found on the Math 18 MATLAB Assignments page.; note that late MATLAB homework will not be accepted, but in case you have to miss one MATLAB assignment, your lowest MATLAB homework score will be dropped.  There will be a MATLAB quiz at the end of the quarter.

Instructional Resources and Tutoring:  There are several instructional resources freely available to Mathematics students. Please see the Mathematics Tutoring page for a listing of these resources and make use of them.

Midterm Exams:  There will be two midterm exams given during the quarter.  See the course calendar or the Schedule of Classes for the dates and times of the midterm exams.   You may bring one 8.5 by 11 inch handwritten sheet of notes with you to each midterm exam; no other notes (or books) will be allowed.  No calculators will be allowed during the midterm exams.

• Note:  The midterm exams will be held in the evening, as listed in the Schedule of Classes.  By enrolling in this course, you are agreeing that you are able to sit for the exams at their scheduled time.  There will be no makeup exams.

Final Examination:  The final examination will be held at the date and time stated in the course calendar and in the Schedule of Classes.

• It is your responsibility to ensure that you do not have a schedule conflict involving the final examination; you should not enroll in this class if you cannot take the final examination at its scheduled time.
• You may bring one 8.5 by 11 inch handwritten sheet of notes with you to the final examination; no other notes (or books) will be allowed.
• No calculators will be allowed during the final examination.

Regrade Policy:  Your exams, written homework assignments, and MATLAB assignments will be graded using Gradescope.  You will be able to request a regrade via Gradescope for a specified window of time.  Be sure to make your request within the specified window of time; no regrade requests will be accepted after the deadline.

Administrative Deadline:  Your scores for all graded work will be posted to Canvas.

• It is your responsibility to check your scores and contact your TA before the end of the 10^th week of the quarter to resolve recording errors.
• Questions regarding missing or incorrectly recorded scores will not be considered after the last day of instruction.

Grading: Your course grade will be determined by your cumulative average at the end of the term and will be based on the following scale:

• Note:  The above scale is guaranteed; however, your instructor reserves the right to adjust the above scale to be more generous.

• 10% MATLAB (5% homework and 5% quiz or 10% homework), 10% Written Homework,  20% Midterm Exam I,  20% Midterm Exam II,  40% Final Exam
• 10% MATLAB (5% homework and 5% quiz or 10% homework), 10% Written Homework,  20% Best Midterm Exam,  60% Final Exam
• 10% MATLAB (5% homework and 5% quiz or 10% homework), 10% Written Homework,  30% Worse Midterm,  50% Better Midterm,  0% Final Exam

Academic Integrity:  UCSD's code of academic integrity outlines the expected academic honesty of all students and faculty, and details the consequences for academic dishonesty. The main issues are cheating and plagiarism, of course, for which we have a zero-tolerance policy. (Penalties for these offenses usually include assignment of a failing grade in the course, and can be much more significant.) However, academic integrity also includes things like giving credit where credit is due (listing your collaborators on homework assignments, noting books or papers containing information you used in solutions, etc.), and treating your peers respectfully in class. In addition, here are a few of our expectations for etiquette in and out of class.

• Entering/exiting class: Please arrive on time and stay for the entire class/section period. If, despite your best efforts, you arrive late, please enter quietly through one of the rear doors and take a seat near where you entered. Similarly, in the rare event that you must leave early (e.g. for a medical appointment), please sit close to a rear exit and leave as unobtrusively as possible.
• Noise: When class/section begins, please stop your conversations. Wait until class/section is over before putting your materials away in your backpack, standing up, or talking to friends. Do not disturb others by engaging in disruptive behavior. Disruption interferes with the learning environment and impairs the ability of others to focus, participate, and engage.
• Electronic devices: Please do not use devices (such as cell-phones, laptops, tablets, iPods) for non-class-related matters while in class/section.
• Email etiquette: You are expected to write as you would in any professional correspondence. Email communication should be courteous and respectful in manner and tone. Please do not send email messages that are curt or demanding.