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Linear Algebra by Jim Hefferon – free textbook

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Re: Linear Algebra by Jim Hefferon – free textbook

#61
post #7
post #3

It's nice to have a free book as a supplement. Linear Algebra Done Right by Sheldon Axler is a much better choice and when making an investment in learning, particularly a difficult subject like linear algebra, saving money with a free text is probably the most expensive thing you can do. You might save $40 but end up not really learning and wasting hours you don't have. Above all, find a good teacher.

What are your particular critiques about this book? There's nothing inherently inferior about a free resource. What makes LADR superior to this book? Finding a teacher isn't at all mandatory, you can do math yourself by completing exercises, checking your work, and looking at the solution afterwards. There are plenty of places to ask questions if you get stuck.

>Finding a teacher isn't at all mandatory

I firmly disagree.

What a teacher can give you is perspective that you, not knowing the subject, cannot have -- and augmenting any particular viewpoint expressed in a book.

If people could learn everything from texts, we wouldn't have universities (for students) and conferences (for working mathematicians).

In theory, one can write a Great Text that explains an Idea. In practice, it's damn hard to do that, and it's far easier to impart understanding in a conversation, filling in any blank spots the audience might have on the spot, and guiding the way in the jungle.

That's why all texts are kind of bad. Either they are too narrow to give a wide perspective, or too huge to be absorbed!

As one of my advisors said: mathematics, like food, is best shared. Don't go into it alone; and whether you have or don't have a mentor, try to find someone else to join you on your journey (a friend who wants to learn the same subject).

Re: Linear Algebra by Jim Hefferon – free textbook

#62
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The course is available here: http://academictorrents.com/details/54cd86f3038dfd446b037891... It is legal, not a pirated version.

That was a great course! I'm glad it's still accessible. I was not aware of this resource for courses. There was a fantastic course on probability from the University of Pennsylvania that disappeared when Coursera went through a change a few years ago. Maybe I can find that one there too. Thanks for the link.

Did you find the Upenn course on probability? I have been looking for it for a long time. The professor was absolutely brilliant.
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