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How nice to see this link here! I could answer any questions that anyone has. --Jim
by jimhefferon 8y ago
How nice to see this link here! I could answer any questions that anyone has. --Jim
- cs702 8y agoFirst, let me say THANK YOU for making this a free textbook available online to everyone everywhere. The world owes you a debt of gratitude. I, for one, will do my part and make a donation via the link at the bottom of your textbook's web page. I hope others here will join me. My question is: What motivated you to create this freely available book?
- jimhefferon 8y agoThank you for the donation. I use the funds to work on revisions of this text, and on developing others. For motivation: briefly, I was at Union College and was asked to teach Linear. I saw a second edition of Strang's book, thought it was wonderful (still do), and adopted it. But the students, who were perfectly good students, did not get it. They just couldn't solve the problems that a person should solve in that class. I decided after some reflection that the folks I had need to be brought along to where they are ready for a higher level understanding. So I put together a presentation that uses lots of examples, motivation, and naturalness to try and develop maturity in people who do not yet have it. (Again, I'm not talking Strang's book down, it is very fine indeed. But the students that I have in front of me at this point are just not yet ready.)