Based on lectures given at Claremont McKenna College, this text
constitutes a substantial, abstract introduction to linear algebra. The
presentation emphasizes the structural elements over the computational -
for example by connecting matrices to linear transformations from the
outset - and prepares the student for further study of abstract
mathematics. Uniquely among algebra texts at this level, it introduces
group theory early in the discussion, as an example of the rigorous
development of informal axiomatic systems.