06-240

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Algebra I

Department of Mathematics, University of Toronto, Fall 2006

Agenda: Understand linear algebra, the simplest algebra there is, and come to appreciate that simplest is also the most fundamental.

Hidden Agenda: Learn (by example) how "real" math is done: abstraction and generalization, definitions, theorems and proofs.

Instructor: Dror Bar-Natan, drorbn@math.toronto.edu, Bahen 6178, 416-946-5438. Office hours: by appointment.

Classes: Tuesdays 1-3 and Thursdays 1-2 at MP 203.

Teaching Assistants: Dmitry Donin, donin@math.toronto.edu, Bahen 6191, 416-978-2095 and Paul Lee, plee@math.toronto.edu, Bahen 6135, 416-978-4794. Tutorials: Thursdays 2-4 at MP 203 if the last digit of your student number is even, and at MP 118 if it is odd.

Famous Quotes About Math and Mind

• "The problems that exist in the world today cannot be solved by the level of thinking that created them." by Albert Einstein
• "Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can assure you mine are still greater." by Albert Einstein
• "The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
• "I don't think necessity is the mother of invention. Invention, in my opinion, arises directly from idleness, possibly also from laziness - to save oneself trouble." by Dame Agatha Christie (1890-1976)
• "A mathematician is a machine for turning coffee into theorems." by Alfréd Rényi, colleague of Paul Erdős.

Further Resources

• Undergraduate Information at the UofT Math Department
• Undergraduate Course Descriptions.
• Last year's Math 240 web site.
• "How to Think Like a Mathematician" by Kevin Houston.
• A wide variety of free online mathematics texts is here. Want more examples? Get them here. Also, for those in 157 I'd suggest looking at Elias Zakon's Analysis 1 text as a supplement for Spivak.