LINEAR ALGEBRA MAT1503

1 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the MAT1503 module. We trust that you will find it both interesting and rewarding. This tutorial letter contains important information about the scheme of work, resources and assignments for this module as well as exam admission. We urge you to read it carefully before working through the study material, preparing the assignment(s), preparing for the examination and addressing questions to your lecturers. In this tutorial letter, you will find the assignments as well as instructions on the preparation and submission of the assignments. This tutorial letter also provides all the information you need with regard to the prescribed study material and other resources. Please study this information carefully and make sure that you obtain the prescribed material as soon as possible. You will access all files online, a number of tutorial letters for example, solutions to assignments, during the year. These tutorial letters will be uploaded on myUnisa, under Additional Resources and Lessons tools on myUnisa platform. A tutorial letter is our way of communicating with you about teaching, learning and assessment. Right from the start we would like to point out that you must read all the tutorial letters you access from the module site immediately and carefully, as they always contain important and, sometimes urgent information. Because this is a fully online module, you will need to use myUnisa to study and complete the learning activities for this course. Please visit the website for MAT1503 on myUnisa frequently. The website for your module is MAT1503-21-Y1. 1.1 Getting started Owing to the nature of this module, you can read about the module and find your study material online. Go to the website at and log in using your student number and password. Click on ”myModules” at the top of the web page and then on ”Sites” in the top right corner. In the new window, click on the grey Star icon next to the modules you want displayed on your navigation bar. Close the window in the top right corner. Then select the option ”Reload to see your updated favorite sites”. Now go to your navigation bar and click on the module you want to open. We wish you every success with your studies! 2 OVERVIEW of MAT1503 2.1 Purpose This module will be useful to students interested in developing the basic skills in linear algebra which can be applied in the natural sciences and social sciences. Students who have completed 3 this module successfully will have an understanding of the basic ideas of linear algebra and be able to apply the basic techniques for handling systems of linear equations, matrices, determinants and vectors. 2.2 Outcomes The broad outcomes for this module are to: 2.2.1 solve systems of linear equations. 2.2.2 perform basic matrix operations. 2.2.3 evaluate determinants and use them to solve certain systems of linear equations and to find inverses of invertible matrices. 2.2.4 perform various operations in 2-space, 3-space and n-space and to find equations for lines and planes in 3-space. 2.2.5 express complex numbers in Polar form, solve polynomial equations of a complex variable. 2.2.6 extract nth roots of any complex number where n ∈ N. 2.2.7 express relationships between trigonometric functions using complex numbers. 3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION Unisa has implemented a transformation charter based on five pillars and eight dimensions. In response to this charter, we have placed curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum transformation includes the following pillars: student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of teaching and assessment practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African epistemologies and philosophies. These pillars and their principles will be integrated at both programme and module levels as a phased-in approach. You will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy implemented by Unisa, together with how the content is conceptualised in your modules. We encourage you to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way within the framework of transformation. 4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS 4.1 Lecturer(s) The primary lecturer for this module is: Dr Ali Department: Mathematical Sciences Telephone: E-mail: 4 MAT1503/101/0/2022 A notice will be posted on myUnisa if there are any changes and/or an additional lecturer is appointed to this module. Please do not hesitate to consult your lecturer whenever you experience difficulties with your studies. You may contact your lecturer by phone or through correspondence or by making a personal visit to his/her office. Please arrange an appointment in advance (by telephone or by e-mail) to ensure that your lecturer will be available when you arrive. Please come to these appointments well prepared with specific questions that indicate your own efforts to have understood the basic concepts involved. If these difficulties concern exercises which you are unable to solve, you must send us your attempts so that we can see where you are going wrong. If you should experience any problems with the exercises in the study guide or prescribed book, your lecturer will gladly help you with them, provided that you send in your bonafide attempts. When sending in any queries or problems, please do so separately from your assignments and address them directly to your lecturer. 4.2 Department You can contact the Department of Mathematical Sciences as follows: Department of Mathematical Sciences Departmental Secretary: (RSA) (International) e-mails: or 4.3 University To contact the University, follow the instructions on the Contact us page on the Unisa website. Remember to have your student number available whenever you contact the University. Whenever you contact a lecturer via e-mail, please include your student number in the subject line to enable the lecturer to help you more effectively. 5 RESOURCES 5.1 Joining myUnisa The myUnisa learning management system is the University’s online campus which will help you communicate with your lecturers, other students, and the administrative departments within Unisa. To claim your myUnisa account, please follow the steps below: 1. Visit the myUnisa website at 2. Click on the ”Claim Unisa login” link on the top of the screen under the orange user ID box. 3. A new screen will load, prompting you to enter your student number. Please enter your student number and click ”continue”. 4. Enter your surname, your full name, your date of birth and, finally, your South African ID number (for South African citizens) OR your passport number (for foreign students). Then click ”continue”. Remember to enter either an ID number or a passport number, NOT both. 5 5. Please read through the guidelines and click all the check boxes to acknowledge that you have read all the information provided. Once you are done, click the ”Acknowledge” button to redirect you to the final page in the process. 6. The final page will display your myLife e-mail address, and your myLife AND myUnisa password. This password will also be sent to the cellphone number displayed on the page for safekeeping. 7. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours for your myLife e-mail account to be created Remember, the password provided is your myUnisa AND myLife password. 5.2 Prescribed book(s) The prescribed book for this module is Title: Elementary Linear Algebra with Supplemental Applications Author: Anton, Howard and Rorres, Chris Publishers: WILEY Edition: Eleventh Edition Year: 2015 ISBN: 978-1-118-67745-2 You are welcome to use the newest edition below as a prescribed book: Title: Elementary Linear Algebra, Applications Version Author: Anton, Howard & Torres Edition: 12th Edition, EMEA Edition (published 2020) Year: 2020 Print Book ISB: N: 978-1-119-66614-1 eBook ISBN: 978-1-119-67080-3 You are also welcome to download and use the 11th edition below as a prescribed book from the Library website: Title: Elementary Linear Algebra, Applications Version Author: Anton, Howard & Torres Edition: 11th Edition, EMEA Edition (published 2020) Year: 2020 Print Book ISBN: 978-1-118-43441-3 Please buy the textbook as soon as possible since you have to study from it directly – you cannot do this module without the prescribed textbook. Please refer to the list of official booksellers and their addresses in the Study @ Unisa brochure. Prescribed books can be obtained from the University’s official booksellers. If you have difficulty in locating your book(s) at these booksellers, please contact the Prescribed Book Section at Tel: 012