Re: good text for linear algebra?

G. A. Edgar a écrit : 
In article <d4sohs$dbm$2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Robin Chapman
<rjc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


G. A. Edgar wrote:


At one point
I said: "This system of linear equations can be solved by Cramer's
Rule." 

Was Cramer's rule essential to the matter at hand? Could you have said
"This system of linear equations can be solved by Gaussian elimination"
or simply
"This system of linear equations is soluble"?



So, a mathematics student doesn't need to know the existence of
Cramer's Rule because you can always solve by Gaussian elimination?  I
suppose similarly you claim that a mathematics student doesn't need to
know the quadratic formula, because you can always solve by completing
the square...

Well, as this is one of my pet peeves, I must say I much prefer a student who knows how to complete the square, but not the quadratic formula, that the other way around. The fist one has some chance of succeding in factorizing (in IR) x^4+4, say; the second one none at all.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: good text for linear algebra?
    ... > Was Cramer's rule essential to the matter at hand? ... > "This system of linear equations can be solved by Gaussian elimination" ... Cramer's Rule because you can always solve by Gaussian elimination? ... suppose similarly you claim that a mathematics student doesn't need to ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: good text for linear algebra?
    ... a mathematics student doesn't need to know the existence of ... > Cramer's Rule because you can always solve by Gaussian elimination? ... > I suppose similarly you claim that a mathematics student doesn't need to ... The quadratic formula is quite useful. ...
    (sci.math)
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