University of Alberta

Department of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences

Linear Algebra I - MATH 125 - Sections A1, B1, D1, E1, F1
Fall 2023

Note: All times stated in this syllabus and on eClass are Mountain Time (Edmonton time).

Lecture
Section Instructor Email Time Office
Room

A1 Dr. Kedumetse Vati vati@ualberta.ca MWF 9:00 am - 9:50 am CCIS L1-160 CAB 633

B1 MWF 12:00 pm - 12:50 pm ETLC E1-007

Dr. Valerie Budd vgcheng@ualberta.ca CAB 421
D1 TR 11:00 am - 12:20 pm T L-11

E1 Dr. Beth Powell bpowell+125@ualberta.ca TR 2:00 pm - 3:20 pm CCIS L1-140 CAB 687

F1 Dr. Joanna Kluczenko kluczenk@ualberta.ca MWF 1:00 pm - 1:50 pm CCIS L1-160 CAB 673

When e-mailing your instructor, state your full name and course/section, and use your University
of Alberta e-mail account.

Office Hours: See eClass.

Course Web Page: This course is on eClass (eClass Portal).

Course Format: Math 125 is delivered in a flipped format. This course has two main
components: learning activities (asynchronous) and live lectures (synchronous). There are also
videos that you can watch to help you to learn the material (asynchronous).

Learning Activities: Each lesson in Math 125 is delivered by an online interactive learning
activity. These activities will be opened in advance so that you may work on them when it best
suits your schedule, but all activities must be completed by their due date.

Live Lectures: The scheduled lecture times for this class will be devoted mostly to discussing
material in the learning activities and doing examples.

COURSE CONTENT

Course Description: From Bear Tracks: Systems of linear equations. Vectors in n-space, vector
equations of lines and planes. Matrix algebra, inverses and invertibility. Introduction to linear
transformations. Subspaces of n-space. Determinants. Introduction to eigenvalues and
eigenvectors. Complex numbers. Dot product, cross product and orthogonality. Applications in a
variety of fields.

Prerequisites: Math 30-1. Note: Credit can be obtained in at most one of MATH 102, 125, or 127.
Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes:

- Solve systems of linear equations.

- Perform basic operations on vectors and matrices.
- Become familiar with the central notions of linear algebra in the context of Rn: linear
independence, spanning sets, bases, linear transformations, etc.
- Use equations and bases to describe various subspaces (lines, planes, null spaces,
eigenspaces, etc.).
- Be able to apply this knowledge to solve computational and theoretical problems.

LEARNING RESOURCES

Required Textbook and/or Other Major Course Materials: There is no required textbook for
this course. The learning activities are the main course notes for MATH 125 and are posted on
eClass. Further material, such as practice problems, are also provided on eClass.

Recommended or Optional Learning Resources: Linear Algebra, a Modern Introduction, by

David Poole, 4th edition. This textbook is not required, but you may find it useful for additional
practice.

Forums: Join the forums on eClass to engage, ask questions, and answer questions.

Academic Success Centre: The Academic Success Centre provides professional academic support
to help students strengthen their academic skills and achieve their academic goals. Individual
advising, appointments, and group workshops are available year-round in the areas of
Accessibility, Communication, Learning, and Writing Resources. Modest fees apply for some
services.

Decima Robinson Support Centre (DRSC): Students in the following 100 or 200-level math or
stats courses can drop in to the Support Centre for help from the graduate student TA's.

Math: 100 , 101 , 102 , 125 , 134 , 136 , 144 , 146 , 154 , 156 , 201 , 209 , 225

Stat: 151 , 161 , 235

We offer this service both in-person and online. For online support, students are to join the virtual
queue by self-enrolling in the Decima Robinson Support Centre eClass site. For in-person support,
students should simply come to the Decima Robinson Support Centre (CAB 528) where TAs are
ready to assist. Drop-in help for math runs MTWRF 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; the times for statistics
drop-in help are TWRF 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Over the past few years some flashcard sets have been developed for Stat 151/161 , Math 102/125,
Math 134 and Math 154. The flashcards can be purchased on our department Marketplace and
picked up at the Decima Robinson Support Centre.
 GRADE EVALUATION

Course Component Weight Date

Learning Activities 15% Weekly; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays before 11:59 pm.
See eClass for details.

Assignments 15% See schedule below and eClass.

Midterm Exam 25% Saturday, November 4, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

(A 60 minute exam; in-person only)

Final Exam 45% Thursday, December 21, 9:00 am - 11:00 am (tentative)

(A 2 hour exam; in-person only)

Grade Calculation: To be guaranteed a passing letter grade of at least D, you will need an overall
grade of at least 50%. All students must write the final exam to obtain credit for the course. An
overall grade of 90% or more will guarantee a letter grade of at least A.

Grades are unofficial until approved by the Department and/or Faculty offering the course.

Note: The stated date and time of the final exam is tentative and subject to change. The date of the
final examination is set by the Registrar and takes precedence over the final examination date
reported in this document. Students must verify this date on Bear Tracks when the Final Exam
Schedule is posted.

Learning Activities: Most of the course material will be delivered through eClass learning
activities. Students will have an unlimited number of tries to complete these activities before they
are due. The due dates for these activities will be displayed on eClass. No extensions will be
granted for these activities, except for students who missed an activity due to late
registration in the course.

Assignments: There will be 5 assignments. Each assignment has an online component

(completed on eClass) and a written component (submitted through Assign2). Assignments will be
posted on eClass. Instructions for submitting your written work through Assign2 can also be
found on eClass. No extensions will be granted for assignments for any reason. Late online
components of assignments will not be accepted. Late or incorrectly submitted written
components of assignments will be penalized or receive a grade of zero. The images of your work
that are uploaded to Assign2 must be in the correct order, rotated to be in the upwards position,
clear, and readable.

Statement of Expectations for AI Use: Although using AI tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2 to
further explore linear algebra material is permitted, it is strictly prohibited to use AI tools to
directly solve part or all of your assignment / learning activity problems for you. Any use of AI
tools in your academic work may result in academic penalties and be considered an act of
cheating and a violation as outlined in the relevant sections of University of Alberta (November
2022) Code of Student Behaviour.
Re-evaluation of Term Work: Students may request a regrade of a question or questions on the
midterm or the written part of an assignment. Such a request must be made by filling out a form
which will be posted on eClass at 5:00 pm the day after the exam/assignment has been returned.
Once the form opens, students will have seven days to submit a regrade request. Regrade requests
must be made within this seven-day period and will not be accepted after the period has ended
and the form has closed. Please note that a regrade may result in a lower score, a higher score, or
no change to the score. Students must compare their answers to the solutions posted on eClass
before requesting a regrade.

Re-examination: A student who writes the final examination and fails the course may apply for a
re-examination. Re-examinations are rarely granted in the Faculty of Science. Re-examinations
are governed by university-wide Academic Regulations and Faculty of Science Academic
Regulations. Misrepresentation of facts to gain a re-examination is a serious breach of the Code of
Student Behaviour.

Past or Representative Evaluative Material: This course will have one midterm exam and one
final exam. Preparation materials for these exams will be posted on eClass.

POLICIES FOR LATE AND MISSED WORK

Late Policies: Late learning activities will not be accepted. Late online components of
assignments will not be accepted. A late submission of the written part of an assignment to
Assign2 carries a 5% penalty for every hour past the deadline, starting with a 5% penalty applied
at 11:59 pm. The Assign2 system will close at 8:00 am the morning after the due date. No
submissions for the written part of an assignment will be accepted after this time.

Missed Term Work or Final Exam Due to Non-Medical Protected Grounds (e.g., religious
beliefs): When a term assessment or final exam presents a conflict based on non-medical
protected grounds, students must apply to the Academic Success Centre for accommodations via
their Register for Accommodations website. Students can review their eligibility and choose the
application process specific for Accommodations Based on Non-medical Protected Grounds.

It is imperative that students review the dates of all course assessments upon receipt of the course
syllabus, and apply AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to ensure the timely application of the
accommodation. Students who apply later in the term may experience unavoidable delays in the
processing of the application, which can affect the accommodation.

Missed Learning Activities: Missed learning activities will be given a grade of 0. Late learning
activities will not be accepted and no extensions will be granted for these activities, except for
students who missed an activity due to late registration in the course. There is a total of 1882
marks available for the learning activities. Your overall grade on the learning activities is
calculated by dividing the total number of marks you earned on all learning activities (up to a
maximum of 1700 marks) by 1700, and then multiplying by 15. (The maximum overall grade on
the learning activities is 15, so if you earned more than 1700 marks in total on all learning
activities, you will receive an overall grade of 15/15 on the learning activities.)

Missed Assignments: Missed assignments will be given a grade of 0. These assignments are
available to students well ahead of their due dates. For this reason, only under extreme
circumstances (such as extended hospitalization or death of a family member) will an excused
absence be granted; in such a case the weight of the missed assignment will be moved to the final
exam.
Extended Absences: Students who are absent for an extended period of time (i.e., three weeks or
more) for whatever reason (medical or other) should communicate with their instructor as soon
as possible. If such a situation arises, you are strongly encouraged to reach out to an academic
advisor in your faculty to discuss options that may be appropriate in situations of extended
absence.

Missed Midterm: A student who cannot write the midterm due to incapacitating illness, severe
domestic affliction, or other compelling reasons must contact the instructor within two working
days of missing the midterm exam, or as soon as possible, to request an excused absence. There is
no deferred midterm exam. A student who is granted an excused absence from the midterm will
have the weight of the missed test moved to the final exam. If an excused absence is not granted,
the missed test will be given a grade of 0. An excused absence is a privilege and not a right; there
is no guarantee that an absence will be excused. Misrepresentation of facts to gain an excused
absence is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour. In all cases, instructors may request
adequate documentation to substantiate the reason for the absence at their discretion.

A student who cannot write the midterm due to a conflict based on non-medical protected
grounds, such as a religious conflict, must apply to the Academic Success Centre for
accommodations. Please see the section “Missed Term Work or Final Exam Due to Non-Medical
Protected Grounds (e.g., religious beliefs)” above for more information.

A student who cannot write the midterm due to a school-related conflict must apply to their
instructor by no later than Friday, September 29, 2023 for accommodations, such as an alternative
exam date. Such students must provide their instructor with supporting documentation and their
timetable on BearTracks. If a student fails to notify their instructor of a school-related conflict on
or before Friday, September 29, 2023, and misses the midterm due to that conflict, then the
student may apply for an excused absence following the procedure stated above.

Deferred Final Examination: A student who cannot write the final examination due to
incapacitating illness, severe domestic affliction, or other compelling reasons can apply for a
deferred final examination. Such an application must be made to the student’s Faculty office
within two working days of the missed examination and must be supported by appropriate
documentation or a Statutory Declaration. Please see the University Calendar under Attendance.
Deferred examinations are a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferred
examination will be granted. The Faculty may deny deferral requests in cases where less than
50% of term work has been completed. Misrepresentation of facts to gain a deferred examination
is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour.

The deferred final exam will take place on Saturday, January 13, 2024. Students granted a
deferred final exam must go to the 3rd floor of CAB by 8:30 am on Saturday, January 13, 2024, to
have their photo identification verified prior to writing their deferred final exam. After student
identifications are verified, each student will be directed to a specific classroom on the 3rd floor
of CAB in which they will write their deferred final exam.

TECHNOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS
To successfully participate in this course, it is recommended that students have access to a
computer with an internet connection that can support the tools and technologies the University
uses to deliver content, engage with instructors, TAs, and fellow students, and facilitate
assessment. Please refer to Technology for Remote Learning - For Students for details. If you
encounter difficulty meeting the technology recommendations, please email the Dean of Students
Office (dosdean@ualberta.ca) directly to explore options and support.
 STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Academic Integrity and Student Conduct: The University of Alberta is committed to the highest
standards of academic integrity and honesty, as well as maintaining a learning environment that
fosters the safety, security, and the inherent dignity of each member of the community, ensuring
students conduct themselves accordingly. Students are expected to be familiar with the standards
of academic honesty and appropriate student conduct, and to uphold the policies of the University
in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of
the Code of Student Behaviour and the Student Conduct Policy, and avoid any behaviour that
could potentially result in suspicions of academic misconduct (e.g., cheating, plagiarism,
misrepresentation of facts) and non-academic misconduct (e.g., discrimination, harassment,
physical assault). Academic and non-academic misconduct are taken very seriously and can result
in suspension or expulsion from the University.

All students are expected to consult the Academic Integrity website for clarification on the various
academic offences. All forms of academic dishonesty are unacceptable at the University. Any
suspected academic offence in this course will be reported to the College of Natural and Applied
Sciences. Suspected cases of non-academic misconduct will be reported to the Dean of Students.
The College, the Faculty of Science, and the Dean of Students are committed to student rights and
responsibilities, and adhere to due process and administrative fairness, as outlined in the Code of
Student Behaviour and the Student Conduct Policy. Anyone who is found in violation is likely to
receive a sanction. Typical sanctions for academic misconduct include conduct probation, a mark
reduction or a mark of 0 on an assessment, a grade reduction or a grade of F in a course, a remark
on the transcript, and a recommendation for suspension or expulsion. Sanctions for
non-academic misconduct include conduct conditions, fines, suspension of essential or
non-essential University services and resources, and suspension or expulsion from the University.

Appropriate Collaboration on Assignments: Students are expected to submit individual

assignments. Collaboration between students is encouraged for assignments, but students are not
permitted to copy solutions on homework assignments. Here are some tips to avoid copying on
assignments:

1. Using the Internet to further explore linear algebra material is permitted, but you may not
use any website, AI tool, tutor, or resource that directly solves your assignment problems
for you.
2. Do not write down anything that you cannot explain to your instructor.
3. When you are helping other students, avoid showing them your work directly. Instead,
explain your solution verbally. Students whose work is copied may also receive academic
sanctions.
4. If you find yourself reading another student's solution, do not write anything down. Once
you understand how to solve the problem, remove the other person's work from your
sight and then write up the solution to the question yourself. Looking back and forth
between someone else's paper and your own paper is almost certainly copying and will
result in academic sanctions for both you and your fellow student.
5. If the instructor or TA writes down part of a solution in order to help explain it to you or
the class, you cannot copy it and hand it in for credit. Treat it the same way you would
treat another student's work with respect to copying, that is, remove the explanation from
your sight and then write up the solution yourself.
6. There is often more than one way to solve a problem. Choose the method that makes the
most sense to you rather than the method that other students happen to use. If none of the
ideas in your solution are your own, there is a good chance it will be flagged as copying.

The University has outlined permissible and impermissible forms of collaboration on

assignments.
Exam Conduct:

● Tests are closed book.

● You may not use calculators, mobile phones, apps, notes, formula sheets, textbooks, or any
other materials for exams.
● You may not communicate with anyone other than your instructor or a TA during tests.
● Photo I.D. is required at exams to verify your identity.
● Students will not be allowed to begin an examination after it has been in progress for 30
minutes. Students must remain in the exam room until at least 30 minutes has elapsed.
● All cell phones must be turned off and stored in your bags, and smart watches must not be
worn.

Students Eligible for Accessibility-Related Accommodations: In accordance with the

University of Alberta’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Duty to Accommodate policy,
accommodation support is available to eligible students who encounter limitations or restrictions
to their ability to perform the daily activities necessary to pursue studies at a post-secondary level
due to medical conditions and/or non-medical protected grounds. Accommodations are
coordinated through the Academic Success Centre, and students can learn more about eligibility
on the Register for Accommodations website.

It is recommended that students apply as early as possible in order to ensure sufficient time to
complete accommodation registration and coordination. Students are advised to review and
adhere to published deadlines for accommodation approval and for specific accommodation
requests (e.g., exam registration submission deadlines). Students who request accommodations
less than a month in advance of the academic term for which they require accommodations may
experience unavoidable delays or consequences in their academic programs, and may need to
consider alternative academic schedules.

Recording and/or Distribution of Course Materials: Audio or video recording, digital or

otherwise, of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed
only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of an approved accommodation
plan. Student or instructor content, digital or otherwise, created and/or used within the context of
the course is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other
purpose without prior written consent from the content author(s).

Learning and Working Environment: The Faculty of Science is committed to ensuring that all
students, faculty and staff are able to work and study in an environment that is safe and free from
discrimination, harassment, and violence of any kind. It does not tolerate behaviour that
undermines that environment. This includes virtual environments and platforms.

If you are experiencing harassment, discrimination, fraud, theft or any other issue and would like
to get confidential advice, please contact any of these campus services:

● Office of Safe Disclosure & Human Rights: A safe, neutral and confidential space to disclose
concerns about how the University of Alberta policies, procedures or ethical standards are
being applied. They provide strategic advice and referral on matters such as discrimination,
harassment, duty to accommodate and wrong-doings. Disclosures can be made in person or
online using the Online Reporting Tool.
 ● University of Alberta Protective Services: Peace officers dedicated to ensuring the safety and
security of U of A campuses and community. Staff or students can contact UAPS to make a
report if they feel unsafe, threatened, or targeted on campus or by another member of the
university community.

● Office of the Student Ombuds: A confidential and free service that strives to ensure that
university processes related to students operate as fairly as possible. They offer information,
advice, and support to students, faculty, and staff as they deal with academic, discipline,
interpersonal, and financial issues related to student programs.

● Office of the Dean of Students: They can assist students in navigating services to ensure they
receive appropriate and timely resources. For students who are unsure of the support they
may need, are concerned about how to access services on campus, or feel like they may need
interim support while you wait to access a service, the Dean of Students office is here to help.

Feeling Stressed, Anxious, or Upset?: It's normal for us to have different mental health
experiences throughout the year. Know that there are people who want to help. You can reach out
to your friends and access a variety of supports available on and off campus at the Need Help
Now webpage or by calling the 24-hour Distress Line: 780-482-4357 (HELP).

Student Self-Care Guide: This Self-Care Guide, originally designed by the Faculty of Native
Studies, has broader application for use during students’ learning. It provides some ideas and
strategies to consider that can help navigate emotionally challenging or triggering material.

From Math 125 instructors: Respectfully, we ask all students to honour the work-life balance of
instructors. For example, it is unfair to expect prompt responses to emails sent outside of normal
business hours. One sent out on the weekend may not be read until Monday. Different instructors
have different pressures in their personal lives, and different levels of availability after hours, but
in no way should this reflect on their commitment level.

Land Acknowledgement: The University of Alberta respectfully acknowledges that we are

situated on Treaty 6 territory, traditional lands of First Nations and Métis people.

To learn more about the significance of this land acknowledgement, please read this useful article
and associated links to more information.
 Tentative Schedule (subject to change):

Block Dates Topics Textbook Assignments

Vectors, dot-product, length, distance, Assignment 1

1 Sept. 5 - Sept. 22 angles, orthogonality, lines, planes 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Due Friday, Sept. 22
by 11:59 pm

Row reduction, linear systems, linear Assignment 2

2 Sept. 22 – Oct. 6 combinations, span, linear independence 2.1. 2.2. 2.3 Due Friday, Oct. 6
by 11:59 pm

Matrix operations, matrix algebra, Assignment 3

3 Oct. 6 - Oct. 20 matrix inverses 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 Due Friday, Oct. 20
by 11:59 pm

Subspaces, bases, coordinates, linear Assignment 4

4 Oct. 20 - Nov. 10 transformations, standard matrix, 3.5, 3.6 Due Friday, Nov. 10
compositions and inverses by 11:59 pm

Saturday, Nov. 4 Midterm exam

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Covers Blocks 1, 2, 3

Determinants, eigenvectors and Assignment 5

5 Nov. 6 - Dec. 1 eigenvalues, diagonalization 4.2, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 Due Friday, Dec. 1
by 11:59 pm

6 Dec. 1 – Dec. 6 Complex numbers, complex eigenvectors Appendix C

and eigenvalues

Thursday, Dec. 21, Final Exam

9:00 am -11:00 am Covers Blocks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Note: There is a learning activity or assignment due on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of
the Fall term, starting on Monday, Sept. 11, with the exception of Oct. 9, Nov. 3, Reading Week
(Nov. 13, Nov. 15, Nov. 17), and Dec. 8.

Policy/Disclaimer: Policy about course outlines can be found in Course Requirements,

Evaluations Procedures and Grading of the University Calendar. Any typographical errors in this
Course Outline are subject to change and will be announced on eClass. The date of the final
examination is set by the Registrar and takes precedence over the final examination date reported
in this syllabus.

Copyright: Dr. Valerie Budd, Dr. Joanna Kluczenko, Dr. Beth Powell, and Dr. Kedumetse Vati,
Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta
(2023).