Most linear algebra courses were populated almost exclusively by junior and senior mathematics majors. However, in the past few years, there has been a dramatic reevaluation of the place of linear algebra in the mathematics curriculum, and now, the subject is well on its way to assuming a role second in importance only to calculus.As a result, linear algebra is no longer the exclusive domain of mathematicians, and a typical class in the subject often includes majors from areas such as engineering, science, economics, and psychology as well as pure and applied mathematics. Many of these students have considerable aptitude for mathematics, but do not necessarily enjoy abstraction for its own sake. Such students are often confused by the traditional axiomatic approach to linear algebra and need to be guided carefully through the intricacies of formal arguments. Furthermore, these students legitimately demand to know what linear algebra is good for and are most attracted by those ideas that are well motivated and have interesting applications.[i]A Primer of Linear Algebra[/i] evolved out of notes written to meet the needs of this new breed of linear algebra student.