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Linear Algebra: From the Beginning. For Scientist and Engineers
More and more, today's science and engineering majors are asked to make more extensive and sophisticated use of linear algebra earlier in their studies, whether for exploring new topics (digital signal processing) or new approaches to traditional subjects (theory of ordinary differential equations). This new first-year text is designed to prepare students for the growing prominence of linear algebra at earlier junctures across the science and engineering curriculum. It presents the subject with no assumptions of prior exposure to linear algebra, with an understanding of how computational technology has changed the course, and with an emphasis on helping students developing their mathematical reasoning skills.
- GenresMathematics
542 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2006
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December 2, 2011
Aptly subtitled “From the Beginning”, this text is a self-contained book that works both as a first-semester text for linear algebra and as a guided introduction for those that desire on their own to gain entry into the land of linear algebra with no more of a passport than a working concept of vectors. The addition phrase on the cover, “for scientists and engineers”, resonates with the roll-up-your-sleeves approach that dives into practical mechanics but the book is largely devoid of applications examples beyond basic curve-fitting, digital signal processing, and a few other things. While the exercises are present to keep the reader on track, someone making the voyage alone will find the online solutions manual is no longer available but may appreciate the new version professionally edited and published by W.H. Freeman and Co. (ISBN-10: 1-4292-0428-1).
Based upon their working experience with undergraduate students, the authors seek to teach linear algebra in a way that minimizes the required mathematical sophistication. This makes the text good for readers that want to learn the subject on their own. Introductions to mathematical reasoning are made by bringing in geometric perspectives, building up higher-dimensional theorems from 2-dimensional ones, etc. However, this is an introductory text and as such is in no way dense with pure mathematics and theory. As a study aid, the book prefaces the beginning of the chapters with a listing of “very important formulas” covering matrix basics referred to throughout the text.
In the sections packed with plenty of examples and exercises the authors describe vectors, matrices and linear transformations, the solution set of a linear system, the image of a line translation, determinants, the Eigenvalue problem and Eigenvectors, and abstract vector spaces. Although intended for classroom use, this could also serve as a self-study text on practical approaches to solving well-defined equations and to elucidate, within the problem-solving context, the mysteries of the dot product in higher dimensions, the discrete Fourier transform and other approaches to diagonalization, and the Jordan canonical form.
Based upon their working experience with undergraduate students, the authors seek to teach linear algebra in a way that minimizes the required mathematical sophistication. This makes the text good for readers that want to learn the subject on their own. Introductions to mathematical reasoning are made by bringing in geometric perspectives, building up higher-dimensional theorems from 2-dimensional ones, etc. However, this is an introductory text and as such is in no way dense with pure mathematics and theory. As a study aid, the book prefaces the beginning of the chapters with a listing of “very important formulas” covering matrix basics referred to throughout the text.
In the sections packed with plenty of examples and exercises the authors describe vectors, matrices and linear transformations, the solution set of a linear system, the image of a line translation, determinants, the Eigenvalue problem and Eigenvectors, and abstract vector spaces. Although intended for classroom use, this could also serve as a self-study text on practical approaches to solving well-defined equations and to elucidate, within the problem-solving context, the mysteries of the dot product in higher dimensions, the discrete Fourier transform and other approaches to diagonalization, and the Jordan canonical form.
Displaying 1 of 1 review