Thirty three Miniatures Mathematical and Algorithmic Applications of Linear Algebra

Matousek started gathering these succinct applications of linear algebra some years ago, and has decided to share his collection with students. Each problem can be covered in a typical 90-minute class, he says, the earlier ones suitable for undergraduates and the latter ones for graduates. He assumes a background in basic linear algebra, a bit of familiarity with polynomials, and some terminology of graph-theory and geometry. Readers are free to notice recurring patterns, and features of linear algebra as a whole, but he does not point them out. Nothing here is original, he says. Among his topics are Fibonacci numbers, equi-angular lines, covering a cube minus one vertex, walking in the yard, turning a ladder over a finite field, the secret agent and the umbrella, and cutting cheaply using eigenvectors. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)