Zack Cramer
PhD, Pure Mathematics
Welcome! My name is Zack (he/him). I'm an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the Mathematics Undergraduate Group at the University of Waterloo.
I completed my MMath (2015) and PhD (2020) in Pure Mathematics at the University of Waterloo under the supervision of Laurent Marcoux.
Teaching
My online video lessons for MATH 119 and MATH 207 are publicly available on my YouTube channel, Mathemation.
I have taught the following courses at the University of Waterloo:
Term | Course |
---|---|
Winter 2025 | MATH 118 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
- | MATH 900 - University Mathematics Teaching Techniques |
Fall 2024 | MATH 116 - Calculus 1 for Engineering |
Spring 2024 | MATH 118 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
Winter 2024 | MATH 118 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
- | MATH 138 - Calculus 2 for Honours Mathematics |
Fall 2023 | MATH 116 - Calculus 1 for Engineering |
Spring 2023 | MATH 118 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
Winter 2023 | MATH 118 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
Fall 2022 | MATH 116 - Calculus 1 for Engineering |
Spring 2022 | MATH 119 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
Fall 2021 | MATH 207 - Calculus 3 for Non-Specialists |
- | MATH 237 - Calculus 3 for Honours Mathematics |
Spring 2021 | MATH 119 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
- | MATH 237 - Calculus 3 for Honours Mathematics |
Winter 2021 | MATH 119 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
Fall 2020 | MATH 207 - Calculus 3 for Non-Specialists |
- | MATH 237 - Calculus 3 for Honours Mathematics |
Spring 2020 | MATH 119 - Calculus 2 for Engineering |
Winter 2020 | MATH 135 - Algebra for Honours Mathematics |
Fall 2019 | PMATH 336 - Introduction to Group Theory |
Fall 2018 | MATH 106 - Applied Linear Algebra 1 |
Fall 2017 | MATH 124 - Calculus and Vector Algebra for Kinesiology |
Research
I am interested in linear algebra, matrix analysis, operator theory, and operator algebras.
Publications:
Cramer, Z., Matrix Algebras with a Certain Compression Property II, Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 2021; 619: 210-263. arXiv:1904.07382
Cramer, Z., Marcoux, L.W., & Radjavi, H., Matrix Algebras with a Certain Compression Property I, Linear Algebra and Its Applications, 2021; 621: 50-85. arXiv:1904.06803
Cramer, Z., The Distance from a Rank n-1 Projection to the Nilpotent Operators on ℂn , Canadian Mathematical Bulletin, 2020; 64(1): 1-21. arXiv:1907.09635
Advising
I am an academic advisor for the Faculty of Mathematics. If you are a Waterloo math student, the following links may be helpful to you.
Book an Appointment with a Math Advisor
Declaring Majors
Plan Modification Form
Undergraduate Studies Calendar
Undergraduate Schedule of Classes
Petition for Exception to Academic Regulations
Verification of Illness Form (VIF)
UW Health Services
UW Counselling Services
UW Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity
MATH 138
Calculus 2 for Honours Mathematics
Below are my notes for MATH 138.
Riemann Sums and the Definite Integral
Properties of the Integral
Average Values
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus - Part 1
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus - Part 2
Integration by Substitution
Trigonometric Substitution
Integration by Parts
Partial Fractions
Improper Integrals
Area Between Curves
Volumes by Disks and Washers
Volumes by Cylindrical Shells
Introduction to Differential Equations
Separable DEs
First Order Linear DEs
Applications of DEs
Introduction to Infinite Series
Geometric Series
The Divergence Test
Integral Test
Comparison and Limit Comparison Tests
Alternating Series
Absolute vs. Conditional Convergence
Rearrangements
Ratio and Root Tests
Appendix: Series Convergence Tests Reference Sheet
Power Series
Representing Functions as Power Series
Differentiating and Integrating Power Series
Review of Taylor Polynomials
Taylor and Maclaurin Series
Binomial Series
Applications of Taylor Series
MATH 118
Calculus 2 for Engineering
Below are my notes for MATH 118.
Substitution Rule and Integration by Parts
Trigonometric Integrals
Trigonometric Substitution
Partial Fractions
Numerical Integration
Improper Integrals
Introduction to Differential Equations
Separable Differential Equations
Linear Differential Equations
Applications of Differential Equations
Reducible Second-Order DEs (Not covered in W24)
Sequences and their Limits
Recursive Sequences and the Monotone Sequence Theorem
Introduction to Infinite Series
Geometric Series; the Divergence Test
The Integral and p-Series Tests
The Comparison and Limit Comparison Tests
The Alternating Series Test
Absolute vs. Conditional Convergence
The Ratio and Root Tests
Rearrangements
Approximating Sums
Appendix: Series Tests Reference Sheet
Power Series
Taylor Polynomials
Taylor's Inequality
Taylor Series
Manipulating Taylor Series
Applications of Taylor Series
Parametric Curves
Calculus with Parametric Curves
Polar Coordinates and Polar Curves
Calculus with Polar Curves
MATH 116
Calculus 1 for Engineering
Below are my notes for MATH 116.
Functions, Domain, Range
Compositions and Inverses
Transformations
Even and Odd Functions
Absolute Values
Piecewise and Heaviside Functions
Trigonometry
Inverse Trigonometric Functions
Generalized Sine Function
Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
Hyperbolic Trigonometric Functions
Limits and the Squeeze Theorem
Infinite Limits and Asymptotes
Continuity
Definition of the Derivative
Derivative Rules
Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
Implicit Differentiation
Derivatives of Log and Exponential Functions
Derivatives of Inverse Trig Functions
Logarithmic Differentiation
The Intermediate Value Theorem
Newton's Method
The Mean Value Theorem
Increasing and Decreasing Functions
Local Maxima and Minima
Concavity
Curve Sketching with Calculus
Global Extrema and Optimization
Related Rates
L'Hopital's Rule
Linear Approximation and Differentials
The Definite Integral
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus Part 1
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus Part 2
Substitution Rule
Integration by Parts
Average Values, Areas Between Curves
Volumes by Disks and Washers
Volumes by Cylindrical Shells
Work
PMATH 336
Introduction to Group Theory
Below are my notes for PMATH 336.
MATH 106
Applied Linear Algebra 1
Below are my notes for MATH 106.
Course Outline
Vectors and Lines
Length, Dot Product, Orthogonality
Planes and Hyperplanes
Projections
Cross Products
Subspaces of Rn
Spanning Sets, Linear Independence
Gaussian Elimination
Gauss-Jordan Elimination
Applications to Spanning Sets and Linear Independence
Operations on Matrices
Matrix Mappings and Linear Mappings
Geometrical Transformations
Special Subspaces of Systems and Mappings
Inverse Matrices and Mappings
Determinants by Cofactors
Determinants by Row Operations
Intro to Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
Diagonalization
MATH 124
Calculus & Vector Algebra for Kinesiology
Below are my notes for MATH 124.
Course Outline
Algebra Review
Lines and Linear Functions
Properties of Functions
Quadratic Functions, Translations and Reflections
Polynomial and Rational Functions
Exponential Functions
Logarithmic Functions
Growth and Decay
Trigonometric Functions
Limits
Continuity
Rates of Change
Definition of the Derivative
Graphical Differentiation
Preliminary Derivative Methods
Derivatives of Products and Quotients
The Chain Rule
Derivatives of Exponential Functions
Derivatives of Logarithmic Functions
Derivatives of Trigonometric Functions
Implicit Differentiation
Increasing, Decreasing Functions
Relative Extrema
Optimization
Related Rates
Higher Derivatives, Concavity
Curve Sketching
Antiderivatives
Substitution Rule
Area and the Definite Integral
The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus
Area Between Curves
Applications of Integration
Numerical Integration
Vectors and Lines in R2 and R3
Length, Dot Product, Planes
Projections and Minimum Distance
Vector Cross Product in R3
Math Circles
I have designed and presented several workshops for Math Circles, a weekly enrichment program for students in grades 6-12 organized by the Center for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC).
Cardinality
Winter 2022
Grade 11/12
Sequences and Series
Winter 2019
Grade 9/10
Linear Diophantine Equations
Winter 2018
Grade 9/10
Graph Theory
Winter 2017
Grade 9/10
Cats
My three cats:
Noah
Marco
Carly