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Elementary Linear Algebra

A free online text, with complete solutions, for a standard US undergraduate course

Identifier: 
http://www.numbertheory.org/book/
Subject: 
Rating: 
Average: 4 (2 votes)
Creator(s): 
Keith Matthews
Cataloger: 
David Poole
Publisher: 
Keith Matthews
Rights: 
Keith Matthews

Comments

Anonymous's picture

This online textbook, based on notes first written in 1991 and corrected in 2013, covers most of the standard material in a first linear algebra course. However, some of the material feels a little dated and may not be compatible with all present-day courses. A few interesting features are that linear systems are treated over arbitrary fields, there is a complete chapter on complex numbers, and a chapter on three-dimensional geometry. There is a good assortment of examples and exercises, with answers for many of the latter. The textbook is perhaps most suitable for an honors course or as enrichment material.
ddrucker@wayne.edu's picture

The main virtue of this text for first-time linear algebra students is that it's free. It is VERY brief and has virtually no discussion that would give readers intuition about the subject. It does have some good examples and exercises with solutions. Probably best used for review. Defines complex numbers as 2x2 matrices and uses that approach to arrive at the usual representation, which is used to prove some interesting facts not usually covered in courses in the US. Classifies quadrics in Ch. 7 and has a longish chapter on geometry in 3-space.