Has anyone taken this course. I need advice on whether to take it or not. I am going to be in Life Science in September but I am also looking at options for second year. I might be interested in the BIO/MATH major.

Does this course have a lot of vectors cause I hate vectors.
Is it kind of similar to the calculus and vectors course in grade 12?

I'm not sure exactly what "Calculus and Vectors" covers, since when I was in highschool they used to be two separate courses...but I do know 1B03 like the back of my hand.

This course has tons of vectors, and what are known as Matrices. The course generally proceeds rather slowly, and introduces the ideas from scratch.

You begin by looking at a matrix (A 'square of numbers'). What does it represent? Each row represents an equation with multiple unknowns (ie. 2x + 6y = 3 translates to the line 2 6 3), so what you have with every matrix, is a system of equations.

You will learn operations and algorithms, such as how to put the matrix in Reduced Row Echelon Form which will solve the given system of equations. You then learn about what's called the determinant of a matrix...a special number that will dictate whether or not a given system of equations _has_ a unique solution. (For example, if I write x = 3 and x = 5 in the same system...then there is no solution to that system)

Then what you will later discover is that each column is actually a vector. You will learn how to visualize vectors, and how to do arithmetic with vectors. Instead of "adding and multiplying" vectors, you perform what are known as the standard inner product (aka. the "Dot Product") as well as the cross product, as well as what each operation 'does.'

Some applications include projections, 'shortest distance (perpendicular distance)' problems, and rotating coordinates.

Then once you have mastered vectors, you move onto vector spaces. If you take a collection of vectors, you can declare they are what's known as a 'basis' for a certain space, if they satisfy certain conditions (namely, linear independence and if they span the space in question). There are lots of neat theorems about vector spaces that you will touch upon but not learn in the most detail.


At this point, Math 1B03 ends and the material continues in Math 2R03.



If you enjoy math, BIO/MATH is a great choice...but think carefully, if you wouldn't take Math because you dislike a lot of it, taking BIO/MATH doesn't make the most sense either.

Hope that helps!

Thanks alot for your help. Some of this stuff sounds pretty familiar to what I learned this year. Its not I like i dislike math, its just that I really struggled with vector stuff and ai usually dont struggle with math as much as I did this year. I found algebra and calculus stuff to be easier though.

Do you know anyone taking BIO/MATH, how is it or do you know anyone taking BIO- physiology , how is that too?

You know, I definitely recommend 1B03 if that's your situation. There are a whole slew of resources for you to take advantage of, such as the Math Help Centre (which is like a walk-in clinic for math help, a grad student is always there to help first year students), and of course, you will have TAs for Math 1B03 (I might TA that! But the positions haven't been handed out yet)

I only knew one guy (and not quite the closest) in Bio-Math, he was my TA for Math 1AA3 years back. He loved the stuff, he was all into it. You do things like Modelling population dynamics, epidemiology (like trends in disease transmission), all sorts of neat things. (Personally I don't like applied math as much, but that's just me...many people love that kind of thing)

Bio-Physiology on the other hand, I'm not very familiar with. I would imagine it's interesting, and possibly similar to the Kinesiology program in terms of material covered in the first two years (Which I used to be in). It'd also be a good choice, and simply depends on your interests!

Sometimes, if you're not good at something, that will encourage you to work harder and to really get your hands dirty with the material covered in the course. I definitely recommend 1b03, that is, if you're willing to work hard and get help when you don't understand. Linear algebra provides a whole new perspective on math!

easier than 1aa3