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MATH 136Linear Algebra 1 for Honours Mathematics

Units
0.50
Faculty
Mathematics
Subject
Mathematics

When it runs

  1. F24
  2. W25
  3. S25
  4. F25
  5. W26
  6. S26
  7. F26
  8. W27
  9. S27

Ran in 7 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 12 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

Systems of linear equations, matrix algebra, elementary matrices, computational issues. Real n-space, vector spaces and subspaces, basis and dimension, rank of a matrix, linear transformations, and matrix representations. Determinants, eigenvalues and diagonalization, applications.

Prerequisites

  • Complete all of the following
    • Complete 1 of the following
      • Must have completed the following:
        • MATH145 - Algebra (Advanced Level) (0.50)
      • Earned a minimum grade of 60% in each of the following:
        • MATH135 - Algebra for Honours Mathematics (0.50)
    • Complete 1 of the following

Antirequisites

  • Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
    • MATH106 - Applied Linear Algebra 1 (0.50)
    • MATH114 - Linear Algebra for Science (0.50)
    • MATH115 - Linear Algebra for Engineering (0.50)
    • MATH146 - Linear Algebra 1 (Advanced Level) (0.50)
    • NE112 - Linear Algebra for Nanotechnology Engineers (0.50)

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 0816364120 / 125Online or by arrangement

Winter 2027 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
SectionClassEnrolledMeets
LEC 00156470 / 150MWF 08:30–09:20
LEC 00256480 / 150MWF 09:30–10:20
LEC 00356490 / 150MWF 09:30–10:20
LEC 00456500 / 150MWF 10:30–11:20
LEC 00556510 / 150MWF 10:30–11:20
LEC 00656520 / 150MWF 11:30–12:20
LEC 00757490 / 150MWF 11:30–12:20
LEC 00858280 / 150MWF 11:30–12:20
LEC 00961050 / 150MWF 12:30–13:20
LEC 01061960 / 150MWF 13:30–14:20
LEC 01161970 / 150MWF 13:30–14:20
LEC 70122501177 / 9999Online or by arrangement
TUT 10160140 / 400M 16:00–17:20
TUT 10260150 / 350M 16:00–17:20
TUT 10360160 / 350M 16:00–17:20
TUT 10460170 / 300M 16:00–17:20
TUT 10564050 / 250M 16:00–17:20
TST 20157760 / 1650Feb 22 19:00–20:50

Resources

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Reviewed on UW Flow

64% liked it45% easy78% useful

From 1,073 ratings and 200 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

  • Interesting material, but poorly organized (online, winter 2021). The entire course is essentially just them throwing the same concepts at you like 1000 different ways, so it’s easy to understand each concept on its own but pretty hard to see why they matter or how they connect with others. Also, not sure why they made assignments worth basically nothing but then hit us with a 50% exam. Try to get Janelle Resch, she’s amazing!

    May 2021 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • I don't like math, but LinAlg is really useful in CS. The course was really hard, and took like 15-25 hours a week for me. The 2-hour timed tests sucked, AND there was a final worth 50%. I made the mistake of not going to lectures. Go to the lectures and you'll probably find it easier than I did. Take it with Janelle Resch if you can, she's lovely and I 100% regret not going to her lectures.

    May 2021 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • It was an alright course, but pretty difficult. Got a 50 on the midterm but a 90 on the final exam. Definitely do the assignments, and make sure you really understand what's going on.

    Jul 2017 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • HARD. Even though I did really bad in math 135, this course was still hard for me (at least for spring 2016).

    Aug 2016 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

  • The course itself is ok, but I had an excellent prof who made it seem really interesting (the course was yeezy - you must take it with Yongqiang Zhao!).
    I also highly recommend going to the EasyAce review sessions (they're so good at predicting what's gonna be on the exam, right down to the last word! - I even reviewed them on UWflow (ctrl-F easy ace)) - 10/10 dank course

    Feb 2016 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

2,253 posts and comments in 1,573 threads mention MATH 136, June 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2024

Math 235 how important is it for actuarial science? 4 points, 4 comments

“Did absolutely terrible and barely passed unlike my other courses.”

u/surker512: “There's some lin alg in the 300 lvl STAT classes, but it's not as deep as the content covered in MATH 235. Basic MATH 136 knowledge should be sufficient, you just need to know matrix multiplication, inverse, and transpose.”

u/DarkEmperor7135: “… and matrix math, but I honestly don’t think there’s any material beyond the level of MATH 136”

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Fucked Up Real Bad on my (1a) 17 points, 8 comments

u/YukiMang0919: “If you need to take math 136 and later on math 235, just take math 106. you just need over a 70% (I think; you should double check on the academic calendars) in math 106 to go into math 235 and you’ll be fine. for afm 101 just retake it online next term it’s so easy online”

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Does math 128 and math 136 have assignments or quizzes 11 points, 6 comments

u/Deep-Apartment9323: “The only available tutorials for these classes are an hour away from each other meaning there’s a 10 minute gap before the next tutorial starts. Just wondering if these classes have assignments, just like math 135 did or quizzes every week.”

u/IntrovertNeptune: “… HOWEVER, in Winter term it typically has weekly quizzes MATH136 had weekly quizzes when I took it in Spring, but the same prof the term before did alternating weeks of quizzes and assignments. …”

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Waterloo courseload 1 point, 8 comments

u/MinuteRemarkable9989: “Hello everyone I am going into my 1B math term with these courses MATH136 MATH138 CS136 STAT230 ECON101 (Online) Is this too much for me to do in one term, should I consider switching into lower level CS or should I stay in this schedule.”

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Failing multiple courses 11 points, 7 comments

“Ok so shit happened and now it looks like I might be failing CS and math 135 and math 137. Idk what to do, wanna kms will I get removed from cfm?”

u/InterestingSalt4: “Talk to Robert Kitchen. He's really helpful, and its better to get actual information on how this will affect you going forward then to ruminate on it by yourself. …”

u/Ok_Music_9008: “To take math 138 and 136 you'd need a 60 yeah, but 50 is the passing mark i think. you could still take math 128 if your mark is around the 50-60 range”

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Transferring to Waterloo Math from McMaster 4 points, 3 comments

“Hi! I'm a first year math & stats student at McMaster and was wondering how hard it would be to transfer into a Waterloo math program (not CS). …”

u/whore_for_coop: “I transferred with one of my friends from math and stats to Waterloo math in my first year, my mac gpa was a 11.7/12 but my friend did it with a 11.6/12”

u/surker512: “… MATH 1X03/1XX3 transfers to MATH 137/138 MATH 1B03/1C03 transfers to MATH 136/135 ECON 1B03/1BB3 transfers to ECON 101/102 COMMERCE 1AA3 transfers to AFM 101 Note that MATH 1MP3 will not transfer to a UW CS course. …”

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Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

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