4 ms·

Tell HN: Linear Algebra Study Group (Strang's book) starting next week

9 points by sebg 4y ago

Hi Friends - starting a Linear Algebra Study Group (Strang's book) starting next week on discord. Let me know if you want to join :)

sebg 4y ago
We'll be working through this course -> https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/18-06sc-linear-algebra-fall-2011/ https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/18-06sc-linear-algebra-fall-2011... The book itself: Strang, Gilbert. Introduction to Linear Algebra. 5th ed. Wellesley, MA: Wellesley-Cambridge Press, February 2016. ISBN: 9780980232776
mindcrime 4y ago
I actually just started going through that myself about a week or two ago. So yeah, I'd definitely be interested.
- sebg 4y ago
  Hi - Awesome. Plan is roughly 1 chapter a week with exercises being practice live (or as best as we can live). With 12 chapters in the book, we think about 12-14 weeks. Sent an email to your email on your HN profile. Cheers
  - mindcrime 4y ago
    Got it. Thanks.
throwaway23597 4y ago
Hi, is it going to be beginner friendly? Been meaning to learn some linear algebra as it's a course I unfortunately wasn't able to take in school.
- mindcrime 4y ago
  Videos of Strang himself covering the material are all up on Youtube[1]. Jump over and spend some time watching the first session or whatever, should give you a good feel for how accessible it is. There's also a web-page[2] with lots (and I do mean lots!) of historical problem sets and exams from this class in previous years. It goes back to sometime in the mid 1990's. So again, you could skim around some of that stuff and see how intimidating it appears. FWIW, I never took Linear Algebra in school, or anything beyond Calc I. And I've watched the first three or four lectures in this sequence and so far it seems accessible enough. YMMV. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL221E2BBF13BECF6C https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL221E2BBF13BECF6C [2]: http://web.mit.edu/18.06/www/old.shtml http://web.mit.edu/18.06/www/old.shtml
- sebg 4y ago
  Hi - yes. Very beginner friendly. Most people so far are beginners and or saw the book decades ago. No learner left behind! Since it's on discord we can all help clarify things as well :). Sebgnotes@gmail.com and let me know!
criticas 4y ago
Talk about timeless - Strang was the textbook for my undergrad course in Linear Algebra - 40 years ago.
- sebg 4y ago
  Crazy right? That was my book as well 20 years ago!
sn9 4y ago
Here's a potentially relevant post about unusually effective ways to structure a formal math class like LA: https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebra.html https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebr... Could be a source of inspiration for how to structure things. And here are some concrete suggestions for how to effectively study on one's own in the context of a class: https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebra.html https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebr...
- sebg 4y ago
  Hi - thanks for sharing! I literally had the first link open in a tab this week :) The second link appears to be the same as the first. Was this your intention? The first link is great and it's had some interesting post feedback over the years => https://hn.algolia.com/?q=Teaching+linear+algebra https://hn.algolia.com/?q=Teaching+linear+algebra Really glad you shared it. Thanks!
  - sn9 4y ago
    Whoops! Definitely a mistake on my part! Here was the intended second link: https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/11/25/case-study-how-i-got-the-highest-grade-in-my-discrete-math-class/ https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/11/25/case-study-how-i-...
    - sebg 4y ago
      Awesome and very helpful! Though I've read a bunch of Cal's posts and books (I think about 3 or 4 of them), I hadn't run into that post. Think it's because it was dated before I started reading his thoughts. A query: would you be open to a (paid) chat? We seem to be on the same wave-length and I've love your thoughts on something I'm working on. I looked at your HN profile and didn't find an email so trying here :) You can reach me at my hn profile or sebgnotes [at ] gmail [ dot] com. Thanks!
hoodie_kid 4y ago
That would be great! Can you add me pls!!

9 points by sebg 4y ago

Hi Friends - starting a Linear Algebra Study Group (Strang's book) starting next week on discord. Let me know if you want to join :)

sebg 4y ago

We'll be working through this course -> https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/18-06sc-linear-algebra-fall-2011/ https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/18-06sc-linear-algebra-fall-2011... The book itself: Strang, Gilbert. Introduction to Linear Algebra. 5th ed. Wellesley, MA: Wellesley-Cambridge Press, February 2016. ISBN: 9780980232776

mindcrime 4y ago

I actually just started going through that myself about a week or two ago. So yeah, I'd definitely be interested.

sebg 4y ago
Hi - Awesome. Plan is roughly 1 chapter a week with exercises being practice live (or as best as we can live). With 12 chapters in the book, we think about 12-14 weeks. Sent an email to your email on your HN profile. Cheers
- mindcrime 4y ago
  Got it. Thanks.

throwaway23597 4y ago

Hi, is it going to be beginner friendly? Been meaning to learn some linear algebra as it's a course I unfortunately wasn't able to take in school.

mindcrime 4y ago
Videos of Strang himself covering the material are all up on Youtube[1]. Jump over and spend some time watching the first session or whatever, should give you a good feel for how accessible it is. There's also a web-page[2] with lots (and I do mean lots!) of historical problem sets and exams from this class in previous years. It goes back to sometime in the mid 1990's. So again, you could skim around some of that stuff and see how intimidating it appears. FWIW, I never took Linear Algebra in school, or anything beyond Calc I. And I've watched the first three or four lectures in this sequence and so far it seems accessible enough. YMMV. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL221E2BBF13BECF6C https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL221E2BBF13BECF6C [2]: http://web.mit.edu/18.06/www/old.shtml http://web.mit.edu/18.06/www/old.shtml
sebg 4y ago
Hi - yes. Very beginner friendly. Most people so far are beginners and or saw the book decades ago. No learner left behind! Since it's on discord we can all help clarify things as well :). Sebgnotes@gmail.com and let me know!

criticas 4y ago

Talk about timeless - Strang was the textbook for my undergrad course in Linear Algebra - 40 years ago.

sebg 4y ago
Crazy right? That was my book as well 20 years ago!

sn9 4y ago

Here's a potentially relevant post about unusually effective ways to structure a formal math class like LA: https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebra.html https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebr... Could be a source of inspiration for how to structure things. And here are some concrete suggestions for how to effectively study on one's own in the context of a class: https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebra.html https://bentilly.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-linear-algebr...

sebg 4y ago
Hi - thanks for sharing! I literally had the first link open in a tab this week :) The second link appears to be the same as the first. Was this your intention? The first link is great and it's had some interesting post feedback over the years => https://hn.algolia.com/?q=Teaching+linear+algebra https://hn.algolia.com/?q=Teaching+linear+algebra Really glad you shared it. Thanks!
- sn9 4y ago
  Whoops! Definitely a mistake on my part! Here was the intended second link: https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/11/25/case-study-how-i-got-the-highest-grade-in-my-discrete-math-class/ https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2008/11/25/case-study-how-i-...
  - sebg 4y ago
    Awesome and very helpful! Though I've read a bunch of Cal's posts and books (I think about 3 or 4 of them), I hadn't run into that post. Think it's because it was dated before I started reading his thoughts. A query: would you be open to a (paid) chat? We seem to be on the same wave-length and I've love your thoughts on something I'm working on. I looked at your HN profile and didn't find an email so trying here :) You can reach me at my hn profile or sebgnotes [at ] gmail [ dot] com. Thanks!

hoodie_kid 4y ago

That would be great! Can you add me pls!!