Linear Algebra book for a self-studying EE

[Chunkysalsa]

So I was planning on taking LA for fun next semester but it conflicts with my circuit analysis class. I decided to self study and figure that if I spend real money buying a book then I will guilt myself into actually following through with it.

I've been reading through various threads about the subject and saw a few de facto recommendations but I wanted a book recommendation tailored to my situations, if you're kind enough to humor me.

So I need a book that's easy to self study from. I generally dislike books with a lot of applied problems (because that's what my engineering classes are for) but I'm no mathematician and have zero experience with proofs (although I wouldn't mind a light introduction to them).

I currently taking calc 3 and ODE so I'm fine up to that level (and I've made all A's in all of those classes, so I'm not too bad at math)

Thank you.

 

[physiker_192]

I know of the books (2) by Gilbert Strang (MIT), I haven't used them personally but I know that some grad EE students use them. Hence, I can't comment on which to use or which to even recommend.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980232716/?tag=pfamazon01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0030105676/?tag=pfamazon01-20You can find Strang's video lectures on MIT OCW page as well:

http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-06-linear-algebra-spring-2010/video-lectures/

 

[Chunkysalsa]

Yea I know of his lectures (I saw the first one a while ago, not to sure if I'm keen on his style). His book makes the most sense but I saw a good amount of negative feedback on it.

Any major difference between those two, one is a good amount cheaper

 

[physiker_192]

It looks to me that the 2nd book is intended for those who have some background in linear algebra.

There is a preview of the first in Google Books which seems much more suitable as an introduction for EE undergrad:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Gv4pCVyoUVYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=strang&hl=en&ei=mhWJTeqGLY6Wswav8MykDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-preview-link&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQuwUwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

There are also some free ebooks like this one from Virginia Tech:
http://joshua.smcvt.edu/linearalgebra/book.pdf

You can also try using google to search your university's website for previous semesters lecture notes via the following syntax:

site:SomeUni.edu ext:pdf SearchTerms

Replace SomeUni with your uni name (no www here)
and replace SearchTerms with the course name.
I wrote a guide detailing the google search syntax in the following thread if you're interested:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=404570

 

[shelovesmath]

I like this one http://joshua.smcvt.edu/linearalgebra/

 

[Angry Citizen]

I was recently looking for a book for the exact same purpose. I would recommend Roman's Introduction to Linear Algebra with Applications (note: it doesn't really have a lot of applications; it's a mostly theoretical book), which is what I was recommended by a math professor. It strikes a very nice conversational tone, and the examples are broken down beautifully with little or no assumptions. It's a fairly rare book though.

 

[Chunkysalsa]

Thank you for the recommendations.

I've had that free book in my bookmarks for a while but I wanted a real book and I was planning on using that book as a supplement. Thanks for the recommendations for it though (both of you lol).

 

[marcusl]

I suggest taking LA and learning circuits on your own. I think circuit theory is easier for most engineering students to grasp, and you are more likely to study out of interest than necessity. LA is perhaps more difficult, so you would benefit from a class format. Finally, a strong background in LA will propel your academic EE career much further--into control theory, adaptive filtering, stochastic systems, communications theory, etc.--than a strong background in elementary circuit theory can.

 

[Chunkysalsa]

Circuit Analysis is a formal requirement for EE not to mention the entry point into the upper level EE classes as well as a prereq for most every class.

I really, really doubt anyone with let me skip it, even if I mastered it.

LA is not a requirement at all, I can't even use it as an elective (We used to be able to)

 

[marcusl]

Ok, maybe that wasn't a good suggestion!

 

[Cod]

I have Strang's introduction text and still use it. My LA class used a text by Otto Bretscher, but I wouldn't recommend it for an intro. The Bretscher text was lacking examples and descriptions in my opinion. On the other hand, Strang's text is very descriptive and breaks everything down. If go through the text in conjuction with the lectures, you'll learn a lot.

Bottom line, the best text for you is the one you learn from best. I suggest looking at preview chapters on Amazon, BN, etc.. One chapter usually reads the same as the rest.

 

[sponsoredwalk]

If you have zero background in proofs I really recommend taking a week out & viewing all of
the videos in http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/video.php?courseId=1003 discrete math course. It really will be so worthwhile in the long run
(I couldn't stress that enough if pushed! ).

I think that once you've done that you'll have muscle enough to cope with the proofs in
the linear algebra course given in http://nptel.iitm.ac.in/video.php?courseId=1097 link. Start from module 2, no previous knowledge
from the course is required for the linear algebra videos.

These videos are better than every linear algebra book I've read or compared them too, I
really mean this. The only flaw with these videos is that some of the proofs are better
explained in Axler's linear algebra so just remember that if you get confused by the odd
proof (only happened twice to me I think) you can put them aside for a while. The
amazing thing about these videos for me was the trivial & non-trivial examples they give,
the kind of trivial examples that actually teach you what's going on & how to use the
subject so that the non-trivial examples make sense. I really really hate when you are
given just non-trivial examples!

If you want to read something Like Anton or Strang while I highly advise against it if you
want to do that you should just watch the videos in one of the the introductory linear
algebra courses in http://www.uccs.edu/~math/vidarchive.html link. All proofs are skipped as far as I know. It really
is just them transcribing the book to the screen with explanations thrown in so you
might benefit from just watching these videos, taking notes & focusing on the intuition
the people give then going on to the serious NPTEL videos I gave. You could do these
& the discrete math videos together first & also use the discrete math videos in that link
as a supplement (just a thought!).

Also advised are the pdf's in the Hefferon link that was given & the pdf in this
link. Both of these people take slightly different approaches to the material so be wary
of that. Nearly every book on linear algebra I've looked at is different in certain, non-trivial,
ways so it's good to read multiple sources. Also note that the NPTEL website has a
seperate link for linear algebra, all of which is text, so it's worth checking that out
concurrently.

Btw, there are tons of videos on circuits in that NPTEL link I've given, the whole site is
pure gold, check it out.

edit: I actually remember that the videos were lacking in some examples now that I
think of it but I found reading this on google when I was stuck really helped me out!

 

[Chunkysalsa]

Wow thanks for all that, I definatly check it out.

I also just got Roman's Introduction to Linear Algebra with Applications for like 5 bucks used. Haven't had time to really go through it but it seems pretty nice.

 

[metro2089]

I really liked this LA book, I taught my self most of the course out of this book, and its really easy to find the ebook on torrent, sorry to anyone who opposes this though

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0618783768/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[jasonRF]

Circuit Analysis is a formal requirement for EE not to mention the entry point into the upper level EE classes as well as a prereq for most every class.

I really, really doubt anyone with let me skip it, even if I mastered it.

LA is not a requirement at all, I can't even use it as an elective (We used to be able to)

As an EE who went through grad. school and has been in industry for 10+ years, in my opinion you should treat linear algebra as a requirement. If you are a very self-motivated individual you can teach it to yourself. In such a case Intro to LA by strang is reasonable, although I like Anton better. However, unless the LA classes at your university are awful, I would recommend making a place in your schedule for it before you graduate. I would go so far as to say that your department is making a mistake by not forcing you to take this. I would never recommend my company hire someone who hasn't taken linear algebra at some point (or if they hadn't, could stand at a white-board and correctly answer questions I asked them ...).

best of luck,

jason

EDIT: It may be the case that your department now teaches linear algebra as part of your required curriculum? After thinking a few minutes, I realize I do know some folks who learned linear algebra from EE departments. IF this is the case for your department, then you may be required to learn this after all. If it is not the case, then you should likely take the course, or at the very least spend 100+ hours teaching yourself.

 

[Chunkysalsa]

Haha, I actually forgot this thread.

I actually decided to take Linear Algebra next fall. It fit nicely and I didnt feel like taking Thermodynamics. I'll prolly pick up a math minor anyway, screw it if it takes me an extra semester or two.

 

[jasonRF]

Haha, I actually forgot this thread.

I actually decided to take Linear Algebra next fall. It fit nicely and I didnt feel like taking Thermodynamics. I'll prolly pick up a math minor anyway, screw it if it takes me an extra semester or two.

Good choice. LA is much much more useful for most EEs than thermodynamics. Math minor is not a bad idea, especially if you are interested in signal processing/comms/control type topics.

best of luck,

jason