McGill University Department of Mathematics and Statistics MATH 236 (Algebra 2) Course Outline — Winter 2010

• Instructor: S. Shahabi; • Office: Burnside Hall, 1243; • Email: [email protected]; • Lectures: MWF 8:30 am — 9:30 am; • Class location: Burnside Hall, 1B24 (basement); • Office Hours: will be announced in class, subject to change; • Textbook: You my consult either of the following – E. Goren, Honors Algebra 2 Course Notes; – Schaum’s Linear Algebra; 3rd edition; Classroom attendance and taking notes in class are important. Even though the lectures will rather closely follow the former reference, your classroom notes will be of essential help for the preparation of the midterms and final examinations; • Prerequisite: MATH 235; • Syllabus: Linear equations over a field. Introduction to vector spaces. Linear mappings. Matrix representation of linear mappings. Determinants. Canonical forms. Eigenvectors and eigenvalues. Diagonalizable operators. Cayley-Hamilton theorem. Bilinear and quadratic forms. Inner product spaces. Orthogonal diagonalization of symmetric matrices. • Assignments: There will be around eight assignments in total during the semester. They will have to be returned in class, on the days indicated. • Exams: there will be two tests and a three-hour-long final exam. Each of these exams might contain multiple choice questions. • Grading Scheme: 15% (Assignments) + 30% (Tests) + 55% (Final Exam); • Academic integrity: McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (See http://www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more information). L’universite McGill attache une haute importance a l’honnetete academique. Il incombe par consequent a tous les etudiants de comprendre ce que l’on entend par tricherie, plagiat et autres infractions academiques, ainsi que les consequences que peuvent avoir de telles actions, selon le Code de conduite de l’etudiant et des procedures disciplinaires (pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le site http://www.mcgill.ca/integrity/).