Math E-21b – Spring 2026 – Calendar of topics and HW assignments
Last updated Monday, May 18, 2026 12:16 PM

Date Topics Text sections and homework assignments [Solutions]
(Check back after class each week for possible changes)
Thurs, Jan 29
(Class #1)

Algebra and geometry of lines, planes; solving simultaneously m equations in n unknowns; consistent vs. inconsistent systems; row reduction and row operations; reduced row echelon form (RREF); parameterization of solutions; rank of a matrix; product of a matrix and a vector; vector and matrix forms of systems of linear equations.

Lecture #1 notes

[Multivariable Calculus Notes #1 for vector references]

Lecture #1 Addendum (optional)

 

HW #1: Read Chapter 1 of the Bretscher text (sections 1.1 through 1.3) and do the following problems for next week:
To be submitted online by Sat, Feb 7:
1.1/11,16,17,25,29
1.2/9,11,20,21,22,30,42,70
1.3/22,23,47,48
For additional practice:
Chap 1 T/F questions
If you’re interested in economics, you may want to try 1.1/20,21  and  1.2/37-39.
HW #1 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
You will probably want to make use of a calculator with the “rref” function and learn about how to enter a matrix into a calculator.
Thurs, Feb 5
(Class #2)

Vector and matrix forms of systems of linear equations; linear transformations from Rm to Rn defined by matrices; geometric meaning of linearity; domain and codomain; meaning of the columns of a matrix; rotations and dilations; shears; projections and reflections. Inverse of a linear transformation and method for finding the inverse of a (square) matrix.

Lecture #2 notes

[Multivariable Calculus Lecture Notes #2
for dot and cross product references]

Supplement on the dot product and orthogonal projection
(for those who did not take Math E-21a)

HW #2: Read sections 2.1-2.4 of Bretscher and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Feb 14:
2.1/8,24-30,44
2.2/6,7,10,11,19,20,22,23,34
2.4/2,4,6,20,54
For additional practice:
2.1/5,7,9,37,43
2.2/4,5,17,21,24,27,28
2.4/40,41,42,43,53
2.4/49,50 (economics)
HW #2 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
If you don’t know much about vectors, the dot product, and the cross products (in R3), read Appendix A in the back of the text or, Multivariable Calculus Lecture Notes #2.
Thurs, Feb 12
(Class #3)

Inverse of a matrix; matrix algebra; associativity and composition of linear functions; image and kernel of a linear transformation; linear combinations and the span of a set of vectors; subspaces; linear independence; basis of a subspace.

Note: You may want to practice entering matrices on a calculator and performing matrix algebra with the calculator.

Lecture #3 notes

HW #3: Read sections 2.3-2.4, 3.1-3.2 of Bretscher and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Feb 21:
2.3/14
2.4/66,67-75,76,78,80,81
3.1/6,8,12,20,22,32,34,39,44
For additional practice:
2.3/1,2,3,4,7,10,11,12,27
3.1/1,2,5,19,23-25,31
2.4/101-103 (economics)
Chapter 2 T/F questions
HW #3 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, Feb 19
(Class #4)

Test for linear independence, basis and dimension of a subspace, proof that dimension is well-defined; bases for kernels and images; Rank-Nullity Theorem; coordinates of a vector relative to a basis; matrix of a linear transformation relative to an alternate basis.

Lecture #4 notes

HW #4: Read sections 3.1-3.4 of Bretscher and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Feb 28:
3.2/18,28,36,40,48
3.3/24,30,32,36
3.4/6,8,26,28,42,44,46,50,56,58
For additional practice:
3.2/1-3,6,17,19,24,37,41,49
3.3/23,27,29,60-62,81
3.4/5,7,17-18,27,32,33,34,37,39,45,55
Chapter 3 T/F questions
HW #4 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, Feb 26
(Class #5)

Matrix of a linear transformation relative to an alternate basis, applications to linear transformations defined geometrically.

General linear spaces, examples - continuous functions, differentiable functions, polynomials of degree less than or equal to n, the linear space of m by n matrices; complex numbers as a (real) 2-dimensional linear space. Subspaces of a linear space; basis and dimension; coordinates relative to a basis. General linear transformations and their matrices relative to a basis or bases; kernel, image, isomorphisms.

Lecture #5 notes

You should do the Proctorio Setup Quiz in Canvas (under Quizzes) to make sure that your Chrome browser is up-to-day and that the Proctorio Extension is properly installed and working. The exam will cover topics from the first five lectures of the course (Chapters 1-4 of the text).

Practice Exam #1 (use same username/password as HW solutions)

Solutions (do the Practice Exam first!)

HW #5: Read sections 3.4 and 4.1-4.3, and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Mar 7:
3.4/60,62,70,(71,72),73,74
4.1/20,26,30
4.2/(6,52),66,(4.2/25,53 & 4.3/22)
4.3/(27,28,47)
For additional practice:
3.4/59,69
4.1/1-3,9-11,25,29
4.2/2,4,67,81
4.3/1,13,14,44
Chapter 4 T/F Problems
HW #5 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition

Note: Some of the details in Chapter 4 will be left to the reading. What you should get out of this chapter and the exercises is the sense that most constructions in Rn have analogues in the context of more general linear spaces and transformations. Optional Reading: Differential Equations Supplement

Thurs, Mar 5
(Class #6)

A note on linearity in the solution of ordinary differential equations; orthogonality (perpendicularity) of vectors in Rn; length (norm) of a vector, unit vectors; Cauchy-Schwarz inequality; orthogonal complements and method for finding them; introduction to orthogonal projections (see text and Lecture Notes for additional details).

Lecture #6 notes

Exam #1 in Proctorio during a 25-hour window Mar 5-6.

Exam #1 Solutions

HW #6: Read sections 5.1, 5.2, and the first page of 5.4, and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Mar 14:
5.1/12,15,16,17,18,26,28
5.4/2,4,5,16 plus one additional problem
For additional practice:
5.1/3,5,23,29
5.4/1
HW #6 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, Mar 12
(Class #7)

Orthogonal projections; orthonormal basis; angle between two vectors; Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization process; QR factorization. Orthogonal transformations and orthogonal matrices. Least-squares approximation, normal equation; data-fitting.

Lecture #7 notes

Supplement on Least Squares in Economics

A caution in applying the Method of Least Squares
in regression analysis – Outliers

HW #7: Read sections 5.2-5.4 and the Supplement on Least Squares in Economics and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Mar 28:
5.2/(8,22),(14,28),34
5.3/32,40,44,47,48,68
5.4/6,7,10,(17,18),22,26,32,40,41(modified)
For extra practice:
5.2/6,20,33,44,45
5.3/5-11,31,42,45,46
5.4/15,24,37,38,42
Chapter 5 T/F Problems
HW #7 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
If you have some free time, you may want to look over section 5.5 on inner product spaces, a generalization of the dot product in the context of general linear spaces. This is particularly useful in understanding Fourier series and Quantum Mechanics. [Optional Notes on Inner Product Spaces and Fourier Series]
Thurs, Mar 19 No Class - Harvard Spring Break
Thurs, Mar 26
(Class #8)

Determinant of a (square) matrix, patterns and permutations; Laplace expansion; multilinearity and the effect of the row operations on the value of the determinant; determinant criterion for invertibility of a matrix; k-volumes; determinant as an expansion factor; Cramer’s Rule and formula for finding A-1 (minors, cofactors, and the classical adjoint).

Lecture #8 notes

Supplement on row operations, row spaces, and RREF

A different take on determinants by Sheldon Axler:
Down with Determinants!

HW #8: Read sections 6.1 to 6.3 and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Apr 4:
6.1/18,26,30,34,44
6.2/6,9,17,18,25,26,34,40
6.3/7,13,14,18,24,48
plus one curiosity problem
For extra practice:
6.1/9,16,17,43
6.2/5,41,43
6.3/3,19,20,23
Chapter 6 T/F problems
HW #8 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
[Note: The HW assignment was modified (Sun, Mar 29) to correct Problem 13. One of the transformations was not linear!]
Thurs, Apr 2
(Class #9)

Summary of facts about determinants and applications. Discrete (linear) dynamical systems, iteration of a matrix, trajectories and phase portraits; eigenvectors and eigenvalues of a (square) matrix; characteristic polynomial; algebraic and geometric multiplicities; diagonalization and the existence of a basis of eigenvectors; powers of a matrix.

Lecture #9 notes

HW #9: Read sections 7.1-7.4 and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Apr 11:
Derived from these and others:
7.1/33,34,35,36,50,53
7.2/4,6,8,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28   
7.3/2,4,8,14
For extra practice:
7.1/1-6,15-21,39
7.2/5,7,15
7.3/11,16,21
HW #9 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, Apr 9
(Class #10)

Diagonalization and the existence of a basis of eigenvectors; powers of a matrix; trace and determinant; repeated eigenvalues; complex eigenvalues; review of facts about complex numbers; rotation-dilation matrices and complex eigenvalues.

Lecture #10 notes

HW #10: Read sections 7.4-7.5 and do problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Apr 18:
Derived from these and others:
7.2/40,41     7.3/32,34,36,44
7.4/12,18,19,32,36,48,50
7.5/20,24,28,30,32
For extra practice:
7.3/27,33,35,47
7.4/4,5,11,47,49
7.5/21,22,27,29,36
Chapter 7 T/F problems
Note: The matrix in problem 7.5/36 (practice problems) is known as a Leslie matrix. It incorporates birth rates and survival rates by age group for a given population.
HW #10 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, Apr 16
(Class #11)

Rotation-dilation matrices and complex eigenvalues; eigenvalues and stability of a discrete linear dynamical system (phase portraits). Examples of complex and repeated eigenvalue cases. Spectral Theorem; symmetric matrices and diagonalization by an orthonormal basis.

Lecture #11 notes

Practice Exam #2     Solutions
covers Lectures #5-#11 of the course, Chapters 4-7 of the text.

HW #11: Read sections 7.5-7.6 and section 8.1 and do the following problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, Apr 25:
Derived from these and others:
7.6/10,12,17,24,38
8.1/3,5,6,10,12,15,16,24
For extra practice:
7.6/1-4,37,40
HW #11 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, Apr 23
(Class #12)

Spectral Theorem; symmetric matrices and diagonalization by an orthonormal basis. Quadratic forms; positive definiteness of a matrix; principal axes; applications to ellipses and hyperbolas; Singular Values and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD).

Lecture #12 notes
(includes optional material on Hessian matrix and 2nd Derivative Test)

Exam #2 will take place online in Proctorio Apr 23-24. The exam will cover topics from Lectures #5-#11 of the course (Chapters 4-7 of the text). The exam window will open at 11:00pm EST on Thurs, April 23 and close at 11:59pm on Fri, April 24.   Solutions

HW #12: Read sections 8.1-8.2 and the supplement on the Hessian matrix and the 2nd derivative test (optional) and do the following problems:
To be submitted online by Sat, May 2:
Derived from these and others:
8.1/19,20,29,36
8.2/4,6,8,9,11,16,18,19,22
8.3/SVD Problem
For extra practice and enlightenment:
8.2/1,2,3,15,21
Chapter 8 T/F problems
Problems #1 and #2 from supplement
HW #12 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition

EXTRA: Machine Learning – Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) & Principal Component Analysis (PCA)

Here’s a website that has a good java-based tool for showing vector fields and flows: https://www.cs.unm.edu/~joel/dfield/ The current version requires you to download a Java executable file to your own computer and to run it locally on your own machine. You can customize various options. You can also print the graphs. [How Java is called varies on computer and operating system, so we may have to provide some additional documentation.] [Also available here]
Thurs, Apr 30
(Class #13)
in Room 205,
One Brattle Square

Systems of linear differential equations and their solutions - distinct real eigenvalue case, complex eigenvalue case.

First order linear systems of differential equations and evolution matrices

Sampler of Phase Plane diagrams for uncoupled, coupled, period, and stable sink linear systems and a nonlinear system

Matrix Methods for Solving Systems of 1st Order Linear Differential Equations

Lecture #13 notes

HW #13: Read sections 9.1 and 9.2 and the supplement on 1st order linear systems of differential equations and the use of evolution matrices. Do the following problems:
To be submitted online by Sun, May 10:
Derived from these and others:
9.1/21,(22,23),(26,32),(28,34),(29,35),24,31,42,52 
9.2/(22-26),31,34,39
For extra practice and enlightenment:
9.1/4,5,43,49,54,55
HW #13 problems (PDF) - keyed to 4th Edition
Thurs, May 7
(Class #14)
in Room 205,
One Brattle Square

Systems of linear differential equations and their solutions - complex eigenvalue examples, repeated eigenvalue case, and The Big Picture. Stability of equilibria. Nonlinear systems and linearization around equilibria.

Lecture #13 notes (used in Lecture #14)

Matrix Methods for Solving Systems of
1st Order Linear Differential Equations

Notes on Nonlinear Systems and Linearization

HW #14: Read sections 9.1 and 9.2 and the Notes on Nonlinear Systems and Linearization. There are five problems in the nonlinear supplement and solutions are posted for those problems.

HW #14 problems (PDF) - Do these, but don’t turn them in.     Solutions
[Derived from 9.2/6,7,12,36 and two problems from the Nonlinear Supplement]

Practice Final Exam     Solutions
(do the Practice Exam before consulting the solutions)

Thurs, May 14

The two-hour Final Exam will take place Thursday, May 14 in Canvas/Proctorio (plus an extra 15 minutes for the usual downloading, printing, scanning, and uploading). Total time 135 minutes. The exam window will open at 12:00am and close at 11:59pm on Thursday.

The exam will cover topics from throughout the course with added emphasis on more recent topics not covered on previous exams.

Calculators will be permitted, but no other software or notes. Non-credit students are not permitted to take the Final Exam.

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