Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 3rd Updated Edition (Book & CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

by David C. Lay (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
<P style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 2.25pt">Linear algebra is relatively easy for students during the early stages of the course, when the material is presented in a familiar, concrete setting. But when abstract concepts are introduced, students often hit a brick wall. Instructors seem to agree that certain concepts (such as linear independence, spanning, subspace, vector space, and linear transformations), are not easily understood, and require time to assimilate. Since they are fundamental to the study of linear algebra, students' understanding of these concepts is vital to their mastery of the subject. Lay introduces these concepts early in a familiar, concrete Rn setting, develops them gradually, and returns to them again and again throughout the text so that when discussed in the abstract, these concepts are more accessible.

About the Author

David C. Lay holds a B.A. from Aurora University (Illinois), and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles. Lay has been an educator and research mathematician since 1966, mostly at the University of Maryland, College Park. He has also served as a visiting professor at the University of Amsterdam, the Free University in Amsterdam, and the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany. He has over 30 research articles published in functional analysis and linear algebra.

As a founding member of the NSF-sponsored Linear Algebra Curriculum Study Group, Lay has been a leader in the current movement to modernize the linear algebra curriculum. Lay is also co-author of several mathematics texts, including Introduction to Functional Analysis, with Angus E. Taylor, Calculus and Its Applications, with L.J. Goldstein and D.I. Schneider, and Linear Algebra Gems-Assets for Undergraduate Mathematics, with D. Carlson, C.R. Johnson, and A.D. Porter.

A top-notch educator, Professor Lay has received four university awards for teaching excellence, including, in 1996, the title of Distinguished Scholar-Teacher of the University of Maryland. In 1994, he was given one of the Mathematical Association of America's Awards for Distinguished College or Unviersity Teaching of Mathematics. He has been elected by the university students to membership in Alpha Lambda Delta National Scholastic Honor Society and Golden Key National Honor Society. In 1989, Aurora University conferred on him the Outstanding Alumnus award. Lay is a member of the American Mathematical Society, the Canadian Mathematical Society, the International Linear Algebra Society, the Mathematical Association of America, Sigma Xi, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Since 1992, he has served several terms on the national board of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 576 pages
• Publisher: Addison Wesley; 3 edition (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321287134
• ISBN-13: 978-0321287137
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,403 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Science > Mathematics > Pure Mathematics > Algebra > Linear
  #1 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Mathematics > Pure Mathematics > Algebra > Linear

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars underwhelmed, May 29, 2006

By	Brian K. Sigurdson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

i'm not going to write 3 paragraphs about how much i love math, and what my fricking sat score was and how many A's i have as most nerds do when they review a math book. i am a math nerd too, but i'll keep the discussion to why i dislike the book (which will be short too, as i need to get back to studying it!)

1. i found there to be a nagging disconnect between the material covered and the exercises. i don't mind difficult problems, but at least appreciate some help from text. if i just wanted to figure it all out on my own i wouldn't have bought the book.

2. the study guide is not very useful. it provides solutions to every other odd problem. true / false answers just refer you back to the book and tell you to check your answers.

3. the text's answers to true/false problems tell you to think about it, then consult the study guide. see 2 above.

basically, i enjoy the material, my prof is great, the book is a big disappointment. if it wasn't for my prof's enthusiasm for the subject i'd be frustrated and not select any additional linear algebra electives. luckily, i do look forward to additional courses as the material is extremely useful in industry, i'm an applied math person.

finally, i searched for another text to supplement my studies and settled on Matrix Analysis and Applied Linear Algebra by Meyer, and look forward to its arrival. my second choice was: Linear Algebra : A Modern Introduction (with CD-ROM) by Poole, and it was a close second. both texts are highly recommended and very focused on applied subject matter. both have well developed websites, ect... but Meyer's text was published by SIAM with a stong focus on how the material is being used in practice. it also comes with a searchable, printable version of the text (and possibly study guide) on the cd.

if you want a balanced view before you buy this text. go to the 3rd ed, not the 3rd ed updated, and read some of the negative reviews in addition to the good ones. my experience was similar to many of those negagive reviews. disappointment and frustration with a very popular text. good luck.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ver little help on tough concepts, October 2, 2008

By	Ankan Sinha "Headache" (Irvine, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an overview of Linear Algebra rather than a comprehensive study. The problems that really dwell deep into the concepts are left unanswered even when the problem is odd. You go to the back of the book and the answer isn't there; instead, it tells you to go to the STUDY GUIDE for the answer. Here's the clincher. You buy a $30 study guide, and then you flip to the correct section and the ANSWER ISN'T THERE. This is a BAD SALES SCHEME. The author claims that giving students answers inhibits critical thinking, but it's clear that he really intends for unwary students to buy his study guide so he can get money without exerting minimum mental effort. I strongly discourage people from buying this book. You'd be better off asking for help on the internet blogs.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An easy understanding of Linear Algebra, January 28, 2006

By	William Byrd (Sitting in the Pope's office) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wanted to give this book four and half stars but I cannot do that so I just rounded up. When I first started trying to learn Linear Algebra on my own, I was a little lost. After having enrolled in the course at my college, coupled with reading this book, I have a better understanding of it now. I am not a math major so I have no use for proofs and theorems. You may here others complain that this book does not offer any of that, this book, I believe, was designed for those other than math majors. Math professors can teach you the proofs and theorems if you need those, but this book focuses on other aspects, hence the title...and Its Applications.

Lay, lays out each chapter in several subsections that cover a wide variety of topics. Each example he gives is helpful to some extent, this is why I wanted to give him 4.5 stars, but not completely. However, Lay provides a wealth of resources through his web site, which well makes up for anything missing from his book. The companion web site offers several programs for downloading, I believe free of charge. These programs are available for MATLAB, Mathematica, Maple and the TI calculators. It also has other student resources as well. In addition to the web site, there is an included cd that provides detailed solutions to every third problem in the book.

Overall, this is a very good book that allows the student to easily comprehend the world of linear algebra.