COURSE PAGE:    http://www.math.msu.edu/~magyar/Math309.005.
Posting of all assignments and announcements. I will usually send an email after updating.

INSTRUCTOR:  Peter Magyar,    magyar@math.msu.edu,    tel. 517-353-6330

OFFICE HOURS:  Mon, Wed, Fri 11-12am; Wed, Fri 1:50-2:50pm, Wells Hall D-326, and by appointment. Also, I am available for discussion after class.

LECTURE:  Mon, Wed, Fri 3:00-3:50pm Wells C-104. You are responsible for knowing all the material discussed in class, some of which might not be in the text or on the course page.

TEXT:  R. Messer, Linear Algebra: Gateway to Mathematics. Readings from the text, supplementary reading, and homework will be listed on the course page.

GRADES:  Based on

Tests 1, 2		2 × 100
Daily Quizzes		100
Final Exam		200
Total		500	points

The standard grade scale for Math 309 is: 4.0: &ge 92%;   3.5: &ge 85%;   3.0: &ge 78%;   2.5: &ge 71%;   2.0: &ge 64%;   1.5: &ge 57%;   1.0: &ge 50%. The percent cutoffs in this course will be somewhat lower (i.e. grades will be higher), depending on class performance. Also, all students in this section will be eligible for Honors Credit with a grade of 3.0 or higher.

The two Tests will be one hour in class. There will be a 5 to 10-minute quiz at the beginning of most class periods, with questions based on the previous lectures and homework.

FINAL EXAM:  Mon, Dec 13, 10:00-12:00, room TBA.

DAILY HOMEWORK:  I will assign HW to be done after each lecture, listed on the course page. I will not collect the HW (except for the weekly Proof), but it is essential for you to do all of the assigned problems, especially the more difficult ones. Quiz and test questions will assume mastery of the HW.

I will sometimes list Extra Credit questions along with the HW. You can hand these in for extra points added to your total.

RECITATIONS: There will be weekly 90-minute group sessions on the HW, led by a grad student, starting Wed Jan 19, times & rooms TBA. These should be very helpful, and you can earn Extra Credit if you take the Quiz at the end of each session.

HW TIPS:

• Attend the Recitations!
• Before starting an assignment, check the course page for updates and corrections.
• You should spend about 2 hours studying for each hour of lecture, with the majority of the time doing exercises.
• Group study is an excellent idea, provided everyone contributes. After the group has solved a HW problem, each person should write it down in his/her own words: if you can do that, you probably understand it.
• A warning: if you attend every lecture and recitation and take meticulous notes, then read through the all the HW answers from the back and "understand" them, you will probably learn nothing and fail the tests. You build competency only by solving problems yourself.