Vectors Intro: WOW Students with Linear Algebra!

[matqkks]

I am trying to write a hook for vectors on a linear algebra course. Does anyone have an opening fon vectors that will have a real impact on students?

 

[jedishrfu]

perhaps you could take a page from the Numbers TV show and devise a crime that is solved by using vector methods.

You could have a similar tag line like: "We use Vectors everyday..."

Perhaps you could look at your problem sets, pick a favorite problem and construct a science-fiction story around it to present to the student.

Numb3rs TV show did have an episode called Vector but it was centered around the spread of a deadly virus.

In another episode, Charlie uses support vectors:

http://www.math.cornell.edu/~numb3rs/kostyuk/num219.htm

and in yet another episode, Charlie tracks snipers:

http://www.math.cornell.edu/~numb3rs/kostyuk/num109.htm

Well you get the idea, take a common vector problem and dress it up as an interesting crime that is either proved or disproved by vector math.

 

[Harrisonized]

Here's one of my favorite applications, which rather unfortunately, doesn't get used enough. And everyone can relate to this easily, right?

http://www.casioeducation.com/resource/pdfs/equation.pdf

 

[jedishrfu]

cool example

also you might get some ideas from here:

http://plus.maths.org/content/teacher-package-vectors-and-matrices

and then there's the Google page ranking algorithm:

http://plus.maths.org/content/os/issue47/features/alvarez/index

maybe you could spin a story around it and how someone tries to modify it for nefarious purposes.