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Back to Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra by Imperial College London

4.7
stars
11,932 ratings

About the Course

In this course on Linear Algebra we look at what linear algebra is and how it relates to vectors and matrices. Then we look through what vectors and matrices are and how to work with them, including the knotty problem of eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and how to use these to solve problems. Finally we look at how to use these to do fun things with datasets - like how to rotate images of faces and how to extract eigenvectors to look at how the Pagerank algorithm works. Since we're aiming at data-driven applications, we'll be implementing some of these ideas in code, not just on pencil and paper. Towards the end of the course, you'll write code blocks and encounter Jupyter notebooks in Python, but don't worry, these will be quite short, focussed on the concepts, and will guide you through if you’ve not coded before. At the end of this course you will have an intuitive understanding of vectors and matrices that will help you bridge the gap into linear algebra problems, and how to apply these concepts to machine learning....

Top reviews

EC

Sep 9, 2019

Excellent review of Linear Algebra even for those who have taken it at school. Handwriting of the first instructor wasn't always legible, but wasn't too bad. Second instructor's handwriting is better.

HE

Aug 8, 2021

the instrutors were too good and their explination for the concepts was to the point and it made me realize things in linear algebra I didn't know before although I studied it in school of engineering

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76 - 100 of 2,363 Reviews for Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra

By maytat l

Nov 20, 2019

Challenging course. Much more difficult that I expected. It took me 7-9 hours a week. The overall course material itself was good building-blocks to further understand application of machine learning. However, explanation in some topics should have more detailed explanation and examples to further understand the concept. There were many times, I need to re-watch each video over and over again, paused it, and figured things out on my own. The programming assignments were the most challenging task. I just began to learn Python and found it very difficult because there were so many codes I haven't learnt before. I think for those who has not learnt Python at all may find really really difficult to pass the assignments.

By Gabrial D

Jun 7, 2022

I paid, started the course, felt I could not understand the concepts and discontinued. Later after a while, happened to watch 3B1B Linear Algebra videos, again paid, started the course, could able to finish. I think concepts are explained better there, with great animations.

By Peter B H

Nov 26, 2019

The content was good, but a couple of times what was said didn't gel with what was being drawn/written/done. Since I'm learning, this took me longer to double check when I misunderstood something whether it was the concept or a mistake in the delivery.

By Pedro C O R

Aug 1, 2019

The topics could be improved in the way they are presented. I always had to search for additional material.

However, the course is okay, it could be better, the forum is not that active, and some assignments are good.

By kai k

May 5, 2019

many of the activities are excellent, but videos hard to follow along to at times - play them at 0.75 speed if you can. Also, the faculty is not super responsive it seems on discussion boards creating some confusion

By Girisha D D S

Aug 27, 2018

Although the course content is good, I feel it could have been done better. I enjoyed the multivariate calculus course compared to this course.

By Maximilian P

Dec 12, 2018

Some exercises are completely incoherent to the preceding videos, which makes it very difficult to solve them. very frustrating

By Dr. V N R

Dec 9, 2020

Assignment makes frustration and not able to concentrate on teaching content

By Amit V

Sep 8, 2020

1.) This is definitely not a course for beginners, especially if one does not know how to code OR if he/ she is weak in coding.

2.) As far as lectures are concerned, the faculty members/ lecturers are energetic. While some topics have been explained really well, many topics are either left without much explanation. There are some occasional mistakes on the part of faculty, which must've been edited and rectified. They have done good job in converting the lectures in to text. However, there were some mistakes in those texts too.

3.) There is no support in discussion forums from the lecturers of this course. I have seen many questions remain unanswered for many months. This is a very big drawback.

4.) There is a huge gap between what is being taught in videos and what is being asked in assignments. We can understand this by the following corollary: In the video tutorial one teacher is showing that 1 + 2 = 3. In the assignment, students are being asked to find the roots of a quadratic equation.

5.) Some questions and even their answers too technical to be understood by many students. The attempt to explain after the completion of assignment is also too technical. There should be an attempt to dive deeper to help weaker students. If time is the constraint, then make another basic course and let that be a prerequisite of this course. But please, do not mention in the introduction of this course that there is no prerequisite.

By eklektek

Jul 25, 2020

The course seemed rather lazy using classical presentation methods not going the extra mile and benefitting from more model methods of visualisation and interaction. Instead the student has to hear a lot of words and try decipher the language and sketches of the speaker. I'm a native english speaker and I had problems. Complex subjects need a language that everybody can understand - visualisation.

There was finally some interactive visuals, in the fifth and final week, but these seemed more of an after thought. Also they were not integrated into the course. They would have yielded greater benefit if the lecturer used them too and pointed out specific points. Instead this information came from a few lines of explanatory text.

Generally the course material seemed like the minimum they could get away with, almost as if coursera charges hosting space.

In conclusion, the course has been beneficial, but it could have been so much more beneficial. So next I will look for a course more tightly coupled to my learning style and requirements. If this search fails I may return.

By Ian J M

May 27, 2022

As someone that did not really do much Algebra at school I thought this "Beginner" course would be perfect, it starts off well enough, things are explained with examples and I was able to follow OK, then it soon ramps up so fast and you are quized and tested before things are explained properly, I was spending most of my time using other learning resources to fill in the massive gaps in knowledge, things are explained less and less with fewer real examples, in my opinion this is not a beginner course and more of a refresher for people that have done this all before.

By Jennifer L

Jul 5, 2020

This course was pure torture. Lessons were great and interesting but then you are testied on something entirely different! You would be wise to have some knowledge of Python before starting. Be prepared to spend days trying to pass assessments that were never explained. Oh, and there's no supporting materials to help you navigate! Just thousands of pleas from other students begging for help and guidance. Took me three months to finally complete. I would have dropped by I needed it as a pre-requisite.

By Mesum R H

Aug 26, 2018

The course tries to cover every edge of Linear Algebra but fails to integrate each step with what relationship it has with Machine Learning. Core Formulas and Mathematical derivations are shoved down from throat without any respect for learners from non-engineering or computer science background. Other than week 1,2 rest was completely case study or example less UN-intuitive lectures of matrix formations and transformations. Needs a severe revamp with better examples and broader picture.

By Anna P

Jun 3, 2022

The content of the lectures wasn't the best. I passed, but honestly I had to learn all from another courses on YouTube. In my opinion, this course is useful only if you want to have a certificate.

By Eduardo A

Apr 30, 2022

Rushes through topics and themes. Will not give you a good understanding of the material. It might be meant as a refresher for people who already understand Linear Algebra.

By Arno D

Dec 19, 2018

Some concepts were not clearly explained and there were a lot of issues with assignment grading working properly.

By prakhar k

Mar 11, 2018

Not good, concepts not explained clearly.

By Richard C

Oct 16, 2018

Does not explain mathematics in videos

By Dmitry R

Jan 13, 2019

Authors try to teach babies. Might be good, it is hard to judge for me as I know linear algebra. Definitely boring to me. For example 3Blue1Brown (which they reference btw) is ingenious in my opinion, so it might be not me who is the problem.

But the quizzes just don't make sense! The ones where solving problems involved might have 2 numerically right answers but only one of two is treated as the right. And there are just idiotic or not covered in lectures answers for quizzes without problems.

By Grzegorz B N

Jan 30, 2023

First code lab (week 3- identifying special matrices) is broken- as I can see in discussion forum learners had problems with opening it many years ago. There are many topics about this problem in discussion forum, few answers from teachers or mentors (and no answer from any technical staff who are probably responsible for that error) and no solution for this problem.

By Gemma G

Mar 8, 2021

Do not bother with this course. There are some amazing free resources on youtube (3 blue 1 brown, and rootmath are two). This is poorly explained, the grading system is ridiculous and buggy, there is zero support from the tutors. Worst Coursera course I have ever taken.

By Patrick B J

Jul 25, 2018

Hands down the worst course I've ever taken in my life! Poorly put together and extremely short videos that don't provide an adequate amount of knowledge especially in relationship to the given quizzes. I truly hope this course is removed.

By David G

May 20, 2022

There has been no reading material for this course. This has not helped me, it is a big fault with the course.

I notice the option to unenrol from this course is not available. This is another problem, I have to quit this MOOC.

By Rusty

Feb 4, 2022

Why is this course so highly rated?

It's more vague than a college girl's interrogation transcript.

Go learn from MIT OpenCourseware or Khan Academy, this one is absolute junk.

By sitsawek s

Sep 13, 2018

Quite difficult for learner who didn't know about linear algebra.It jump and few example and skip a lot of part for understand.But good for recall.