About the M.S. Basic Exam
Each exam consists of a 2-hour written exam, and a take-home exam.
Schedule
The exam will be given prior to the start of each Fall semester. The take-home part will be due several days later. Results and recommendations will be provided prior to the end of the add/drop period.
Content of the M.S. Basic Exam
Topics to be covered in the M.S. Basic Exam Advanced Calculus include the following:
- Elementary properties of Open/Closed/Compact/Connected sets in R^n
- Numerical sequences and series
- Limits, Cauchy sequences, and convergence
- Continuity
- Continuity and compactness/connectedness
- Uniform continuity
- Sequences and series of functions; uniform convergence
- Calculus of real-valued functions: Differentiation, mean value theorems, Taylor's theorem
- Definition and existence of the Riemann integral
- Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
- Integration and differentiation of series/sequences of functions
Topics to be covered in the M.S. Linear Algebra Exam include the following:
- Vector Spaces
- Linear Independence
- Basis
- Dimension
- Linear Transformation
- Matrix Representations
- Rank
- Range Space
- Null Space
- Eigenvalues and eigenvectors
- Diagonalizations
- Canonical forms
- Inner product spaces
- Orthogonal basis
- Symmetric and Hermitian matrices and properties
Grading of the M.S. Basic Exam
The examination committees will send the graduate program committee their course recommendations within a 7 day period after the written exam is conducted. These may include advanced Calculus Math 451, or real analysis Math 551 and/or linear algebra Math 343, Math 441, Math 543. The recommendation will be based on the student's background and performance on the exam.
Textbooks
Advanced Calculus
- Elementary Analysis: The Theory of Calculus by Kenneth Ross (Used for Math 451)
- Principles of Mathematical Analysis by Rudin (A standard Advanced Calculus Text)
Linear Algebra
- Elementary Linear Algebra by Kolman (Used for Undergraduate Linear Algebra)
- Introduction to Linear Algebra by Strang (Used for Applied Linear Algebra)
- Linear Algebra by Hoffman and Kunze (Used for Graduate Linear Algebra)
Please send any questions or comments to gradprog@math.wvu.edu