Math 504: Advanced Linear Algebra and Matrix Analysis, Fall 2021
Professor: Darij Grinberg


Organization

Classes:
Classes are over now!
Office hours:
Tuesday noon--1PM in Korman 263. Friday 2PM--3PM in Korman 263. Sunday 3PM--5PM on https://drexel.zoom.us/j/2350700617. Also by appointment.
Notes:
Lecture notes (source code). Work in progress; your collaboration appreciated!
Gradescope:
https://www.gradescope.com/courses/313218.
Piazza:
https://piazza.com/drexel/fall2021/math504.
Instructor email:
darij.grinberg@drexel.edu

Course description

A second course in linear algebra, with a focus on complex matrices and their eigenvalues and various decompositions. Topics to be covered include QR factorization, Schur factorization (unitary triangulation), spectral theorems, SVD and polar decompositions, the Jordan canonical form, the interlacing eigenvalues theorem, the Gershgorin disc theorem and Perron-Frobenius theory of nonnegative matrices.

Level: graduate.

Prerequisites: basic knowledge of linear algebra, including determinants, the "basic" subspaces (kernel and image), eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

Course materials

Recommended:
Other:

The following list is from Hugo Woerdeman, who taught this course last year. I don't know these well.

Course calendar

Blackboard notes:
The following files contain the exact text I typed onto the screen during class (missing, of course, the drawings I made on the actual blackboard). They should not be viewed as lecture notes (let alone a textbook), but they have the advantage that they appear almost immediately after class.
Lecture 1. Lecture 2. Lecture 3. Lecture 4.
Lecture 5. Lecture 6. Lecture 7. Lecture 8.
Lecture 9. Lecture 10. Lecture 11. Lecture 12.
Lecture 13. Lecture 14. Lecture 15. Lecture 16.
Lecture 17. Lecture 18. Lecture 19. Lecture 20.
Lecture 21. Lecture 22. Lecture 23. Lecture 24.
Lecture 25. Lecture 26. Lecture 27. Lecture 28.
Lecture 29. Lecture 30.
Plan:
The following is copied from Hugo Woerdeman's 2020 syllabus. Things can change.
  • 1. QR factorization
  • 2. Schur’s unitary triangularization
  • 3. Spectral theorems for normal and Hermitian matrices
  • 4. Singular value decomposition; polar decomposition
  • 5. Jordan canonical form
  • 6. Courant Fisher theorem
  • 7. Interlacing eigenvalues theorem
  • 8. Schur’s product theorem
  • 9. Gelfand’s formula for the spectral radius
  • 10. Gersgorin discs
  • 11. Perron-Frobenius theory

Grading and policies

Grading matrix:
  • 100%: homework (250 experience points = full score).
  • 40%: scribing (you can gain extra points up to 40% of the homework points by scribing up to 2 lectures).
Grade scale:
These numbers are tentative and subject to change:
  • A+, A, A-: (80%, 100%].
  • B+, B, B-: (60%, 80%].
  • C+, C, C-: (40%, 60%].
  • D+, D, D-: (20%, 40%].
Homework policy:
  • Collaboration and reading is allowed, but you have to write solutions in your own words and acknowledge all sources that you used.
  • Asking outsiders (anyone apart from your classmates and Drexel staff) for help with the problems is not allowed. (In particular, you cannot post homework as questions on math.stackexchange before the due date!)
  • Late homework will not be accepted.
  • Solutions have to be submitted electronically via Gradescope in a format I can read (PDF, TeX or plain text if it works; no doc/docx!). If you submit a PDF, make sure that it is readable and does not go over the margins. If there are problems with submission, send your work to me by email for good measure.
Expected outcomes:
The students should have an understanding of the results listed in the course description, and be familiar with their proofs. They should have gained experience with applying these results and exploring the terrain around them.

Other resources

Homework help:
  • Math Resource Center (Zoom registration link; use your Drexel email), open Mon-Thu: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm and Fri: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Starts September 22nd.
University policies:
Disability resources: