Math 221 - Introduction to Linear Algebra

Summer 2026 - Matthias K. Gobbert

Detailed Schedule - Last Updated 02/17/2026

The chapter and section numbers refer to David C. Lay, Steven R. Lay, Judi J. McDonald, Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 6th edition, Pearson, 2021.
This course is taught in a flipped classroom format. This means that you need to study the material and work the homework before class! Recorded lectures and the textbook are provided for contents delivery and we will use Pearson's MyLab for the online homeworks, quizzes, and tests. This homework system includes an interactive eText, a Study Plan, hints ("Help me solve this" and "View an example" with every problem), and (essentially) unlimited number of attempts. The quizzes in MyLab are 15 minutes on your own schedule (asynchronously), while the tests are 60 minutes during class time (symchronously).
In each class meeting, we will then address questions on the material inspired by the textbook, lectures, and homework, and then work actively in teams. The detailed schedule specifies the exact section for each meeting.
The two-digits numbers in homeworks HW x.y and individual quizzes IQ x.y in MyLab indicate the section number, that is, Chapter x, Section x.y of both. There are also a few individual quizzes in class labeled IQ x.0, typically on some crucially important basic definition of Chapter x. The abbreviation BQ refers to an individual quiz in Blackboard. The abbreviation GQ refers to a group quiz in class. HW 0 is a required homework to be submitted in Blackboard.
Notice that the Midterm and Final Exam are in person on campus! Room TBA.

Class	Date	Main Topic	Notes
	Week 1:
1	Tu 05/26	GQ0a intro., Overview, and Mechanics of the Course	Pre-ass., BQ0a, BQ0b, HW0 gen.
		1.1 Systems of Linear Equations	HW 1.1, IQ 1.1
2	We 05/27	1.2 Row Reduction and Echelon Form	HW 1.2, IQ 1.2
		1.3 Vector Equations	HW 1.3, IQ 1.3
3	Th 05/28	1.4 The Matrix Equation A x = b	HW 1.4, IQ 1.4
		1.5 Solution Sets of Linear Systems, IQ 1.0	HW 1.5, IQ 1.5
	Week 2:
4	Tu 06/02	1.7 Linear Independence	HW 1.7, IQ 1.7
		Test 1 (Sections 1.1 to 1.5)
5	We 06/03	1.8 Introduction to Linear Transformations	HW 1.8, IQ 1.8
		1.9 The Matrix of a Linear Transformation	HW 1.9, IQ 1.9
6	Th 06/04	2.1 Matrix Operations, IQ 2.0	HW 2.1, IQ 2.1
		2.2 The Inverse of a Matrix	HW 2.2, IQ 2.2
	Week 3:
7	Tu 06/09	2.3 Characterizations of Invertible Matrices	HW 2.3, IQ 2.3
		Test 2 (Chapters 1 and 2)
8	We 06/10	In Person Midterm Exam (Chapters 1 and 2)	Room TBA!
9	Th 06/11	4.1 Vector Spaces and Subspaces	HW 4.1, IQ 4.1
		4.2 Null Space, Column Space, and Linear Transformations	HW 4.2, IQ 4.2
	Week 4:
10	Tu 06/16	4.3 Linear Independent Sets, Bases, IQ 4.0	HW 4.3, IQ 4.3
		4.4 Coordinate Systems	HW 4.4, IQ 4.4
11	We 06/17	4.5 The Dimension of a Vector Space	HW 4.5, IQ 4.5
		Test 3 (Chapter 4)
12	Th 06/18	3.1 Introduction to Determinants	HW 3.1, IQ 3.1
		3.2 Properties of Determinants	HW 3.2, IQ 3.2
	Week 5:
13	Tu 06/23	5.1 Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues, IQ 5.0	HW 5.1, IQ 5.1
		5.2 The Characteristic Equation	HW 5.2, IQ 5.2
14	We 06/24	5.3 Diagonalization	HW 5.3, IQ 5.3
15	Th 06/25	Review
		Test 4 (Chapters 3 and 5)
	Week 6:
16	Tu 06/30	6.1 Inner Product, Length, and Orthogonality	HW 6.1, IQ 6.1
		6.2 Orthogonal Sets	HW 6.2, IQ 6.2
17	We 07/01	6.3 Orthogonal Projections	HW 6.3, IQ 6.3, post-assess.
		Review
18	Th 07/02	In Person Final Exam (Chapters 1 through 6)	Room TBA!