The answer is simple: this course is taught at a university, so they have to fill the time with _something_. And if that something is a rote method that lends i

The answer is simple: this course is taught at a university, so they have to fill the time with _something_. And if that something is a rote method that lends itself well to testing, even better! It matters little if actual engineers in the field use it (I've done robotics for years, and knowing that Gauss-Jordan exists has helped me precisely zero times).