Week 2: Matrices for solving systems of equations

This will be the first full week of the course, when you will be both learning and working on exercises on this week's material, while you finish the assignment on last week's material. This will be our weekly rhythm. Do it 12 more times and the course will be over, and we will all go outside to play for the summer! 😎

Matrices

This week we will look at something that is new for most (but not quite all) of you: Matrices. These are just tables of numbers, but they can be used to model a surprising number of things. In fact we will use them in different ways at four different points in the course (spoiler: Weeks 2, 4, 12, 13 and 14).

Our focus this week is on learning to use matrices to solve systems of equations. We do that by repeatedly pivoting the matrix, so that's the key skill to master this week: pivoting a matrix. It's a detailed, but mechanical, process that can be mastered with a little practice.

As always all the resources for this week's material can be accessed from the Weekly overview page.

Reminder: Exercise Set 1 is due by the start of class Monday!

I have only received 16 of 18 surveys, 14 of 18 emails, and 11 of 18 stick figure drawings! 😬

Be sure to give, or send me, your work for Exercise sets 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 by 9 am Monday morning. Don't let these easy marks slip through your fingers!

Upcoming due dates

• Monday: Exercise set 1 due by 9 am.
• Friday: Assignment 1 due by 1 pm.
• Next Monday: Exercise set 2 due by 9 am.

Going forward the weekly pattern will be:

• Exercise set due on Mondays.
• Assignment due on Fridays.

(With adjustments for holidays of course.)

Office Hours: Get help, or just stick around to say "Hi"

As a sessional instructor I don't have an office, but I am happy to stay after class and answer any questions you might have, provide just-in-time review, or just chat.

That's all for now!

See you soon,
Tim