Paradigm: Rotations Preface

Catalogue Description:

This material is a part of the other paradigm classes during this term. It is not a separate course and hence does not have a catalogue description.

Short Course Description:

The Preface is the first week of Winter term. It is required of all students taking any of the winter term paradigms (PH 424/524, PH 425/525, PH 426/526).

You will learn:

basic linear algebra skills which are important in physics, i.e. matrix multiplication, determinant, trace, transpose, hermitian adjoint, inverse, etc.
about linear transformations, with rotations as the main physical example.
how to find eigenvectors and eigenvalues.
how (and why) to dagonalize a matrix.
special properties of hermitian matrices which are important to quantum mechanics.

Course Evaluation:

This Preface is part of the Winter Term paradigms classes. Your performance on some of the homework assignments and two short quizzes will contribute a small amount to your grade for PH 425/525.

More extensive course information is now available on our wiki

Please use the link here.

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Last Update 8/31/03, webpage created by Corinne Manogue,