MA-GY 7033: Linear Algebra I, Fall 2026

Special Accommodations

If you are a student with a disability who needs special accommodations, please contact New York University’s Moses Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at 212-998-4980 or mosescsd@nyu.edu. You must be registered with CSD to receive accommodations. Information about the Moses Center can be found at www.nyu.edu/csd. The Moses Center is located at 726 Broadway on the 2nd floor.

If you think it's possible that you might have a learning disability, please get tested. See Diagnosing A Learning Disability In College for more information.

Calendar (subject to change)

AI Policy

There is no AI policy in this course. You are allowed to use AI freely in this course except during quizzes and exams.

How to use AI

AI is an extremely powerful supplement to lectures and textbooks and you should feel free to use it that way as much as you want. It provides another source for explanations and examples. The best part is that you can engage in a conversation like you would with someone who knows the material inside out but won't mind if you ask very naive and vague questions. You can ask it to explain things differently. Or if you think it got something wrong, you can challenge it. Here are suggestions on how to use it effectively:

• Start by feeding it my notes, your notes, or a book.
• Treat AI as a helpful and very kind tutor that allows you to ask any and as many questions you want, no matter how vague or dumb they are.
• The more specific you can be in your questions about where you got lost or what you do not understand, the better.
• Even if you understand something, go over it with AI and ask it to confirm that you do understand it correctly.
• Ask it to show you examples of each definition, concept, and application of a theorem.

Doing homework without or with AI

Without AI:

• Write out explicitly every small step in the solution. Make sure there is a specific logical deduction from previous steps to each step. If you find yourself doing something that seems right but you don't know exactly why, stop and check carefully. Most mistakes in homework arise from this type of thinking.
• Start by doing the problems that you know immediately how to solve. Write the solutions carefully, keeping the previous point in mind.
• Struggle with a few of the problems that seem harder. Try random ways but test each one carefully. Work out simple examples, such as the \(1\)-dimensional and \(2\)-dimensional cases. If after about 15 minutes, you still have no idea what to do, go to another problem.
• Work together with classmates. But be careful! If you copy someone else's solution or let them tell you what to do step by step, you will not be able to do well in the exams. The most important step is not solving the problem itself. It is figuring out how to figure out the solution.
• Use lecture notes and the textbook as possible guides to how to do the homework. Conversely, after you understand better how to do the homework, go back and see if that helps you understand better the relevant parts of the notes and textbook.
• Come to office hours, even if you haven't tried to do the homework and don't have any questions yet. You can stay and do your homework in my office, so I can provide help and check your solutions as you do them.
• Post questions, no matter how vague or stupid, to Ed Discussion. You are allowed to do this anonymously. Please do not email math questions to me. All questions should be posted to Ed Discussion, so everyone can see the questions.
• Use AI very very carefully. See advice below.

With AI:

• You have to be really careful when using AI with your homework. The most important point is that you should never ask AI for the solution until after you've submitted the homework.
• First, try everything suggested above. If after a lot of struggle you are still clueless or stuck, you can use AI.
• First tell it not to tell you the solution or even how to do the problem. Ask it to guide you through the problem by asking you questions.
• If at some point you think you see how to do the whole problem, turn away from the AI and see if you really can, even if a struggle is needed. Ask AI for guidance (not specific instructions) only as needed.
• If you want to practice doing more problems, ask AI for new problems similar to the homework problems.

Overall advice:

• The key to learning math is not just learning the math itself. It is learning how to learn math and how to do math. The only way to do this is through struggle, NOT through having someone or something explain everything to you. It should be a back and forth. Struggle, get some help, struggle more, get more help, etc.
• The only way to do well on the quizzes and exams is to DO HOMEWORK PROBLEMS.

Other questions

If you have any personal questions or issues that you need to discuss with me, please email me.

Mandatory tools you will use in this course

• Gradescope:
  • Please email me if you need a Gradescope account.
  • Graded quizzes and exams will be posted on Gradescope.
• Ed Discussion:
  • All questions about course material and logistics should be asked here.
  • You are also encouraged to try to answer questions posted.
  • You may post anonymously.
  • Use LaTeX for mathematical formulas and equations. See Ed Discussion LaTeX guide for more details.
• Brightspace:
  • Will not be used much

Textbooks

There is no required textbook, but the following are recommended:

• Linear Algebra Done Wrong (April 30 2026 version), by Sergei Treil
• Linear Algebra Done Right (fourth edition) by Sheldon Axler

You can of course consult other textbooks or web sites that you find helpful.

Course Grade Factors (subject to change)

• Homework (0%)
• Quizzes (20%)
• Midterm (30%)
• Final Exam (50%)
• Tweaks