<p>Sorry, I know this is not related to MIT, but I guessed that there would be more people in this thread with a similar choice.</p>
<p>Generally, does it matter if you take linear algebra of differential equations first. I have read that diff eq's has linear algebra as a prerequisite, but the course I am taking doesn't. Does the order matter? Thanks</p>
<p>I visited Dartmouth this year and talked to their undergraduate major coordinator about basically the same issue. He said that if I were to choose one or the other, to take linear algebra. The reason for this is that linear algebra courses tend to be more standard across various universities, as opposed to differential equation courses. For instance, many diffeq courses at state schools and community colleges tend to only cover ODEs, while comparable courses at top schools also introduce PDEs in the first semester diffeq class. If you’ve already taken multivariable calculus and so will end up taking both linear algebra and differential equations, I don’t think the order matters, especially if your diffeq class only does ODEs.</p>
<p>Order shouldn’t matter, but it’s probably best to take linear algebra first b/c it’s more basic and “standard” as Desafinado stated.</p>
<p>But if I am taking both it doesn’t really matter?</p>
<p>Shouldn’t matter much, you’ll be fine.</p>