Gil Strang's Final 18.06 Linear Algebra Lecture

Speakers: Gilbert Strang, Alan Edelman, Pavel Grinfeld, Michel Goemans

Revered mathematics professor Gilbert Strang capped a 61-year career as a faculty member at MIT by delivering his final 18.06 Linear Algebra lecture before retiring at the age of 88. In addition to a brief review for the course final exam, the overflowing audience (both in person and on the live YouTube stream) heard recollections, appreciations, and congratulations from Prof. Strang’s colleagues and former students. A rousing standing ovation concluded this historic event.

0:00 - Seating
8:56 - Class start
10:05 - Alan Edelman's speech about Gilbert Strang
12:57 - Gilbert Strang's introduction
15:42 - Solving linear equations
30:42 - Visualization of four-dimensional space
31:37 - Nonzero Solutions
32:16 - Finding Solutions
34:19 - Elimination Process
41:05 - Introduction to Equations
42:26 - Finding Solutions
44:29 - Solution 1
47:42 - Rank of the Matrix
51:39 - In appreciation of Gilbert Strang
52:08 - Congratulations on retirement
52:38 - Personal experiences with Strang
55:01 - Life lessons learned from Strang
1:01:08 - Gil Strang's impact on math education
1:01:44 - Gil Strang's teaching style
1:02:20 - Gil Strang's legacy
1:03:23 - Congratulations to Gil Strang

License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

[johnstrang]

Posted on behalf of Gil Strang:
This is my chance to thank everyone for such generous messages about my
last lecture at MIT. I am almost tempted to have second thoughts about retirement
but it is the right time. Teaching has been a wonderful life.

And I am so grateful to everyone who likes linear algebra and sees its importance.
So many universities ( and even high schools ) now appreciate how beautiful it is and
how valuable it is. That movement will continue because it is right.

I thank you for your good thoughts. I appreciate them more than I can say.

Very best wishes in all your work Gil

[juliogaleano]

Professor Strang I had the honor of attending your lectures back in 1986 as a graduate student at MIT and it was such a wonderful and enlightening experience. You signed me a very kind dedication in your book that I will always treasure. I never forgot you and I never will. I wish you the very best

[vplay]

what a legend retired after 61 years of teaching at MIT . RESPECT 🙌👏👏

[mdrayhanuddinmojumder]

87 years old man teaching with such clarity. Remarkable! Unbelievable! Madness!! Thank you, Mr Gilbert. You help me to transition from Biology undergrad to physics . I will forever be indebted to you. I rediscovered my love for mathematics from you. You sir, are a legend of a kind. I love my life now. Thank you so much.

[KhamPCcc]

Professor Strang's Linear Algebra Lecture is a real treasure. May Professor Strang has a wonderful retire life! Salute.

[katarixy]

I had to pay for college out of my own pocket, without any financial aid, I had three part time jobs and little room to sleep. I used to watch videos to go to sleep (math and Physics primarily). I remember watching the Strang's linear algebra series before I took the class myself. I went on to get a perfect in the class and I cannot help but feel so grateful to all his work and dedication. Thank you!!!

[LinoCoriaCisneros]

Being an old teacher myself, Professor Strang always was my OCW indispensable teacher and a roll model to anyone in our profesion. I met personaly Dr. Strang in a meeting in Morelia, Mexico long time ago, and i was touched for his kindness. Hope you'll have a long and happy life. I can't say enough how much I thank you

[mohammadshahadathhossain]

An entire generation of linear algebra learners will be indebted to you professor Strang. Heartfelt thanks for your passion towards the subject. Wishing you a great retirement life with your nearest and the dearest ones. Also, a big big thanks to MIT for being so generous in making these priceless video lectures available for the students worldwide!

[unclefreddy]

I’m so grateful to live in a time when I can be exposed to this level of understanding and teaching. I struggled through linear algebra in college and here I am 30 years later watching this- learning from someone who I only wish I could have had as a professor. Thank you professor, the world is a better place with you in it

[thispersonwriting]

Without Gilbert Strang’s lectures, I wouldn’t have been able to graduate. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

[shinehitcs]

GIl's lecture was probably the first time I realized the difference between MIT and other universities.

[ShifutheNomad]

He taught my friend, his daughter, and her son. Three generations had the pleasure of being taught by this brilliant man. ❤

[XTSK]

His lectures motivated me to learn linear algebra when I was 73years.I then used it to teach my grand daughter at a UC....it was absorbing interesting and motivating....every lecture session.Thanks Prof and my virtual Guru in Lin Algebra.

[mick]

I took Professor Strang’s course at MIT over 30 years ago. It was a very memorable experience as he spoke so straight forward but yet profound. I still have his text book. Congratulations to him for an amazing 61 years of teaching students.

[Sharifi_ML]

Dear Prof. Stang, as a faculty member of AI in Sharif University of Technology (Iran) I wanted to express my deep admiration for your linear algebra course, which I thoroughly enjoyed and have enthusiastically recommended to my students. Teaching math in a way that instills a love for the subject is a challenging task, much harder than solving complex equations. But your teaching style effortlessly achieves this. I would also like to congratulate you on your lifelong contributions to science, which have had a profound impact on the advancement of knowledge. Thank you for your dedication and inspiration.

[NikitaPolovinkin]

⏱Timestamps for this video!

0:00 - Introduction to the class event
10:05 - Alan Edelman's speech about Gilbert Strang
12:57 - Gilbert Strang's introduction
15:42 - Solving linear equations
30:42 - Visualization of four-dimensional space
31:37 - Nonzero Solutions
32:16 - Finding Solutions
34:19 - Elimination Process
41:05 - Introduction to Equations
42:26 - Finding Solutions
44:29 - Solution 1
47:42 - Rank of the Matrix
51:39 - In appreciation of Gilbert Strang
52:08 - Congratulations on retirement
52:38 - Personal experiences with Strang
55:01 - Life lessons learned from Strang
1:01:08 - Gil Strang's impact on math education
1:01:44 - Gil Strang's teaching style
1:02:20 - Gil Strang's legacy
1:03:23 - Congratulations to Gil Strang

🧙‍♂✨ Generated with Houdini Chrome extension.

[sgravina]

I thought Professor Strang's course was great when I took it in 1998. I still have his book. And I was a working physicist then that already knew linear algebra and used it. He brought out the coolness of matrix algebra. Which I still have. Professor Strang is my mother's age. She passed 20 years ago and I retired 4 years ago. It's fun to see someone who likes what they do enough to work at it forever.

[nickyjiang]

Although I am not a MIT student, I have been watching Mr.Strang’s lecture for several times on YouTube and I am thankful for all lectures provided by him. Was an honor to watch such enormous lectures. Respect Mr. Strang, from Korea.

[miknrene]

Professor Strang’s Linear Algebra book was the single best text I used in my entire academic career. My friend was struggling through LA, which was a requirement for her CS degree. I lent her my copy of Strang’s book, and it got her through the class (and on into a successful career as an SDE.).

Thank you professor Strang.

[xirbleivs]

For me, the teacher is most noble profession that exists. All teachers have my utmost respect. And this legend, still doing what he loves at an age that most are already retired, deserves all the applause and a wonderfull retirement. May he live long and happily.