EECS16A, Designing Information Devices and Systems I

Fall 2024

Important Course Information/Scheduling Updates

Lecture is every Monday and Wednesday from 6:30 - 8:00 pm in Pimentel 1.

Please find the OH schedule under the calendars section

Professor Tennant's OH is now in Cory 504. The time remains the same.

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Schedule

Lecture videos can be found in the bcourses modules page

(Please scroll horizontally if you're viewing this on your phone.)

Notes

Calendars

All office hours will be held in Soda 410.

Discussion Schedule

Each day's discussion covers different material. You only need to attend one discussion per day Monday and Wednesday.











Resources

Ed (Ask Questions Here)

Homework Practice Problems

Textbook: Introduction to Applied Linear Algebra – Vectors, Matrices, and Least Squares by Stephen Boyd and Lieven Vandenberghe

Technology Needs (STEP)

Student Technology Equity Program (STEP). STEP provides laptops and other technologies for free and is for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. It requires just a simple online application form. For details, see here.

Recommended Texts

Extra Resources

Setting up How-To's

Videos

Past Exams

Past exams vary in scope from semester to semester, and may include topics that are not in scope for the current semester or module. Unavailable exams are indicated by N/A. In-scope topics for the current semester will be posted on Ed about a week before the corresponding exam.

Semester Midterm 1 Midterm 2 Final
sp24 pdf, sol pdf N/A
fa23 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp23 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa22 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp22 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa21 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp21 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa20 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
su20 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp20 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa19 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp19 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa18 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp18 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa17 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
su17 pdf, sol pdf, sol N/A
sp17 pdf, sol pdf, sol N/A
fa16 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp16 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
fa15 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol
sp15 pdf, sol pdf, sol pdf, sol

Practice Sets: Links to Notes and Solutions

It is very strongly recommend that you try the problems themselves here before looking at the solutions below. The links for solutions are not perfect, so you may need to scroll to the bottom of the linked page to find them. Give feedback by emailing at our course email.

Course Staff

Please add berkeley.edu to the end of all emails!

We also have 2 special emails for various purposes. Where applicable, please use these emails so that all relevant course staff can view the message. Note that we prefer for technical or content questions to go on Ed!

  • eecs16a.lab@: for any lab-related questions or concerns
  • eecs16a@: for anything else (including exam-related/administrative questions or concerns)

Instructor



JP Tennant

jptennant@


Babak Ayazifar

ayazifar@

Course Staff



Hi, it’s Vivian! I’m a senior majoring in EECS and Business, originally from San Diego, CA. I'm currently exploring applications of AI/ML and tech in business. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, reading, eating (very) spicy food, and drinking matcha. 16A was one of my favorite courses, and it's my mission to make it as rewarding and enriching for you as it was for me!

Vivian Wu
Head TA
she/her/hers
vivianwuc25@ , eecs16a@

Hello!! I'm a junior majoring in EECS and minoring in data science. In my free time, I enjoy trying delicious new food, learning the electric guitar, and going on trips with my friends. Feel free to reach out any time. :)

Mishty Dhekial
Head TA
she/her/hers
mdhekial@ , eecs16a@

Hello there! I'm a fourth year international student from Mexico majoring in Applied Math and CS. This will be my fourth semester on course staff and my second semester as a TA. I enjoy playing the piano, playing tennis for sport, and watching Star Wars. Looking forward to working together!

Joe Alarcon
Content Head TA

joe.alarcon@

Hi! My name is Thomas and I am a Computer Science and Math Major from Portland, Oregon. In my free time I enjoy board games, watching an absurd amount of Youtube, and reading books. I love listening to indie, alternative and folk music but I'm always willing to try out new music. Feel free to talk to me about anything

Thomas Chen
Content Head TA
he/him
tochen920@

Hi, I am 5th years EECS student interested in biorobotics/automating biological experiments. In my free time, I enjoy watching way more Netflix than I should and cooking (mostly) edible things. I have been on 16B course staff for while and just jumped ship to 16A. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to chat!

Venkata Alapati
Lab Head TA
he/him/his
venkata.alapati@ , eecs16a.lab@

Hello! My name is Jack, and I'm a rising senior majoring in CS. I'm passionate about building things, with my current technical interests being in signal processing, communications, medical devices, and RF design. I often tell my students not to 'suffer in silence'; please don't hesitate to reach out to me in and outside of lab!

Jack Kang
Lab Head TA
he/him/his
dongwon900@ , eecs16a.lab@

Hi! I’m Nikhil and I’m a fourth year EECS major. This is my sixth semester on course staff! My technical interests are low-level programming, computer architecture, and power electronics. In my freetime I read books, play board/card/video games, look at airplanes, and bicycle. I’m so excited to delve back into circuits and meet everyone in lab! Feel free to reach out about the course, about lab, or about anything else!

Nikhil Ograin
Lab Head TA

ncograin@ , eecs16a.lab@

Hey! I'm a 3rd year EECS major from Pasadena, CA. I'm interested in robotics, ML, and circuits. In my free time, some of the things I enjoy are going to the gym and spending time with friends. 16A is by far one of the best class at Berkeley. Looking forward to a great semester!

Leon Kornfeld
Software TA
he/him
leonkornfeld@

Hi! I'm a 3rd year EECS major from San Diego, and I love snowboarding, surfing, and running. Feel free to reach out about anything :)

Divya Ramesh
Software TA
she/her/hers
divyaramesh@

Hi! I'm an EECS junior. I enjoy existing. It's such a luxury. Okay in all seriousness, I have a massive massive sweet tooth. I find pandas and elephants absolutely amusing and i'm your occasional cloud and star gazer who loves adventure.

Imra Dawoodani
Discussion + OH TA
she/her/hers
imra.d@

Hey! I'm a third year from San Diego studying EECS. I like crossword puzzles, tennis, ultimate frisbee, karaoke, and taking public transportation. I think linear algebra is super cool and useful, and hopefully you will too after this semester!

Aakarsh Vermani
Content TA
he/him
aakarshv@

Hey guys! I'm a junior in EECS with a focus on robotics and machine learning. When I'm not doing homework, making homework, or procrastinating on related works research, I play Pokemon, binge random video essays, and relish a good shower. Let's make this semester a great one!

Jaimyn Drake
Content TA
he/him/his
jaimyndrake@

Hi! I am a 4th year undergraduate student majoring in EECS and this is my 5th semester as a TA/ASE (1st time on EECS 16A staff). I enjoy learning about analog/RF integrated circuits as well as the physics and mathematics related to electronics. I also enjoy playing and watching basketball as well as playing video games in my free time. I hope you all enjoy taking EECS 16A this semester and learn a lot from the course!

Nikhil Jain
Content TA
he/him/his
njain_cal@

Hii!! I’m a third year EECS major interested in robotics and computer vision. In my free time, I enjoy going on runs and roadtripping with friends. Feel free to reach out anytime, and I hope you have an amazing semester! :)

Hiya Shah
Content TA
she/her/hers
hiyashah@

Hi! I’m Melissa, and I’m a junior majoring in EECS. 16A was my favorite technical course, and I hope it’ll be yours too! I’m interested in building web/mobile applications, data science, and circuits. When I’m not studying, you can find me singing, playing piano, or birdwatching. Feel free to chat!

Melissa Tsaowimonsiri
Content TA
she/her/hers
mtsao@

Hey everyone! I'm Eric, a 4th year CS student born and raised in San Diego. I like to play video games, but especially fighting games and Tetris. If you like either of those things, I'd love to talk with you about it! This is my third semester as a lab TA, and I hope I can show you all why lab is the absolute best part of 16A :)

Eric Garcia
Lab TA
he/his
e.garcia@

Hello! I'm Oscar, I am a third year physics and computer science student, originally from Mexico, but lived in the US for a chunk of my life. I like semiconductors. Outside of school, I like playing video games, hanging out with friends, and watching and playing sports mostly soccer, skiing, and football. Looking forward to having a good time in lab!

Oscar Gallegos
Lab TA
he/him/his
oscar.tapia.g@

Hello! I'm a fourth-year EECS major from the Bay. I'm interested in circuits and signals, and I'm involved with research in biomedical electronics, which sees a lot of both. In my spare time you can find me trying to be pretentious about coffee and listening to music. I've recently been super into Sweet Trip, Isaiah Rashad, and Peter Cat Recording Co.

Savit Bhat
Lab TA
he/him/they/them
bhatsavit@

Hi! I’m Lydia, a fourth year EECS student focusing on machine learning. I do research in reinforcement learning and robotics. In my free time I love to bullet journal, bike, explore museums, and play board games. I also love teaching, so I’m excited to help you learn, feel free to ask any questions!

Lydia Ignatova
Lab TA
she/her
lydiaignatova@

Hello! I am a fourth year EECS major. I'm interested in signal processing and digital design. Outside of the classroom I like to bake, dance, and craft.

Sonia Chacon
Lab TA
she/her/hers
srchacon@

Hi! My name is Aditya Madaraju, and I am a rising senior studying EECS. My technical interests are digital design, analog design, signal processing, and more recently, design verification. I'm also interested in music, primarly vocal with an interest in learning the guitar and flute.

Aditya Madaraju
Lab Staff ASE
he/him
aditya.madaraju@

Hey everyone! I'm Andrew and I'm a EECS & IEOR major interested in machine learning and analytics. I enjoy playing poker, watching Cal football and the NFL, and following F1 during my free time. Looking forward to another semester of 16A!

Andrew Song
Lab Staff ASE

andrew_song@

Hello! I'm a fourth-year CS major from SoCal. I like ice skating and playing video games with my friends. Feel free to reach out to chat :D

Jennifer Cao
Lab Staff ASE
she/her/hers
jennifercao291953@

Hi, I am a fourth year computer science major. In my free time I like swimming and cooking.

Justin Lee
Lab Staff ASE

julee6@

Currently losing brain cells trying to design circuits.

Xiangzong Song
Lab Staff ASE

xsong561985@

Hi! My name is Shivanshi and I am a junior majoring in EECS and Business. I am super excited to return to staff for EECS 16A as it is my favorite introductory course. The content and application for this class is interesting to teach, and I am sure you will find it just as interesting to learn :) My technical interests lie in the technical product management and security. In my free time, I like to work out, read for pleasure, and bake! Excited to work with you all this semester.

Shivanshi Tandon
Lab Staff ASE
she/her/hers
shivanshitandon@

I am a EECS sophomore interested in biotech. I enjoy rooting for Minnesota sport teams (the Viking curse is real), swimming, and spending time outside doing a variety of things.

Bob Zhang
Lab Staff ASE
he/him/his
robertrzhang@

Hi everyone! I'm a sophomore majoring in EECS. I am interested in power electronics, and honestly, obsessed with computer/processor architecture stuff. When I'm not dreaming of building my own PC, I enjoy playing soccer, wandering around in nature, and playing my guitar. I'm super excited to work with y'all. Let's have a great semester!

Baris Oktay
Lab Staff ASE
he/him/his
kbarisoktay@

Hi everyone! I'm a second year EECS major who likes to explore and find new things to eat. Look forward to meeting everyone :)

Ethan Lau
Lab Staff ASE
he/him/his
lauethan@

I'm a sophomore EECS major, and I'm interested in Information Technology and Blockchain. I also like robotics and making circuits. Right now I'm working in an MRI lab and helping make a mock scanner. For fun, I like playing tennis, eating good food, and chilling with friends. I'm excited for the change in 16A, and think it should be easier.

Arul Loomba
Lab Staff ASE
he/him/his
arulloomba@

I am a third-year EECS major from Quito, Ecuador. I enjoy sports, especially soccer, traveling, playing video games, and I like pineapple on pizza

Nicolas Rakela
Lab Staff ASE

nicorakela@

Hi! I'm Tejveer, and I'm a second year EECS major, and this will be my first semester on 16A course staff. I'm interested in control, signals, and RL. Outside of school, I like basketball (LeBron), eating, and gym. I look forward to seeing everyone at lab!

Tej Bagri
Lab Staff ASE

tbagri@

Hi everyone, my name is Aaron and I’m a Junior CS Major with an interest in Machine Learning. My main hobby is learning languages, and I’m on my 5th one right now (don’t test me though!).

Aaron Liem
Lab Staff ASE
he/him
dicedcubes@

Hi! I'm Jameson, a sophomore majoring in EECS and doing research in reinforcement learning. I'm interested in robotics, AI/ML, and software engineering, and I also like to play video games and get boba in my free time. Looking forward to seeing you in lab!

Jameson Liu
Lab Staff ASE
he/him
jamesonliu@

Hi! I am very excited to teach 16A this semester! I am studying EECS with interests in combining AI with circuit design. Other than 16A, I like skiing, hiking, basketball, and petting my cat.

Tamzid Razzaque
Lab Staff ASE
he/him
trazzaque@

Hi! I'm Ayush. I'm a second-year studying EECS, and this is my first semester on staff. I'm interested in AI/ML and enjoy traveling and watching sports. Super excited for the semester!

Ayush Raj
Lab Staff ASE
he/him/his
ayushraj@

Hi, everyone! My name is Ayesha, and I'm an incoming junior majoring in computer science and data science. A lot of my technical interests revolve around computational biology, as I do research for the Nielsen Lab, where I'm currently working on designing a DNA probing algorithm. This will be my third semester on course staff for 16A, and I'm really excited to get back into the lab and start building circuits. Circuit theory and design is definitely my favorite part of the course because I find it very interesting how circuits themselves can execute (machine) code too. I look forward to meeting you all this semester and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

Ayesha Mahfuz
Lab Staff ASE
she/her
ayeshamahfuz@

Hey there!! I am Mia, a third-year MSE major with a minor in EECS, currently doing research in perovskites. My academic focus is on generative AI as well as the application of traditional machine learning in computational materials. In my free time, I enjoy weight-lifting, singing, and cooking. I am also in a band called Firework Band in Berkeley. Feel free to reach out! :)

Mia Wang
Lab Staff ASE
she/her/hers
miawang@

Hi! I'm Ben, a third-year EECS major. My primary technical interests are power and devices. In my free time, I enjoy playing frisbee, speedrunning Mario, and playing the piano. Feel free to reach out!

Benjamin Karish
Reader
he/him/his
benjaminkarish04@

Hi friends! I'm a 2nd year EECS major from across the globe. I took 16A last year and it was one of my fav classes, so I'm thrilled to be teaching it this semester! I speak English, Spanish, Mandarin, and know some Portuguese and Latin. Along with learning new languages, I also enjoy working out, traveling, and trop house music. Reach out anytime ;)

Ken Zheng
Reader
he/him/his
kenzhengjk@

Hi! I'm Mallika, a 2nd year EECS major. I'm interested in signal processing and circuit design. In my free time, I love to go on walks, play tennis, bake, and hang out with my bunny. EECS 16A has been my favorite course so far, and I'm really excited to tutor this semester!

Mallika Agrawal
Reader
she/her/hers
mallika.agrawal@

Hello, I'm Jordi and this is my first semester as course staff. I like linear algebra and sometimes sentences don't end the way they potato

Jordi Tedja
Reader
he/him
jorditedja@

Hello! I'm a third-year studying EECS and am excited to support y'all in your EECS 16A journey this semester. I'm currently researching ways to optimize analyzing ECG signals and am interested in applications of technology in medicine and for daily users. I enjoy eating, baking, playing with my doggos, and hiking.

Viviana Tran
Reader
she/her
tranviviana@

Hi everyone! My name is Arvind Swamynathan, and I am a senior studying bioengineering and minoring in EECS and Data Science. After graduating, I wish to pursue graduate studies and later enter the biotechnology industry as a biomedical engineer. I am currently pursuing research in the Berkeley Imaging Systems Laboratory, and I am specifically working on improving the resolution of a Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) system by optimizing the physics of its iron oxide nanoparticle tracers. I love EECS 16A because the mathematical fundamentals of linear algebra, system stability, and feedback control provide the foundations for much of the field of electrical engineering. For fun, I love to travel and document my adventures in a blog.

Arvind Swamynathan
Reader
he/him
arvind.swamynathan@

Hi! I'm a second year from Socal/Beijing studying EECS. Contrary to what my name might suggest, I'm quite bad at golf (though I do play it). Talk to me if you like Joe Hisaishi!!! (or even if you don't, you can still talk to me :))

Tiger Zhang
Reader
he/him/his
enming_zhang@

I tutored Donald Trump's grandchildren for a year.

Patrick Mendoza
Reader
he/him/his
patmendoza6745@

Hi! I'm Joshua, and I'm a 2nd year EECS student. I'm interested in researching LLMs, HCI, and computer algorithms. I also enjoy researching optimal strategies to make sure I never lose at any game I play (I'm better at the former). This is my first semester teaching, so looking forward to talking to y'all!

Joshua Lu
Reader
he/him
joshualu@

Policies

For a full list of course policies and the syllabus, see here.

About

EECS 16AB Course Coverage

EECS16AB was specially designed to ramp students up to prepare for courses in machine learning and design and are important classes to set the stage for the rest of your time in the department.

FAQ

Q1: Should I take EECS16A my first semester at Cal?

A1: If you have taken an AP calculus class, then the answer is yes! EECS16A has no prerequisites other than calculus and is designed with freshmen and incoming transfer students in mind. It is designed to be taken alongside 61A. Furthermore, we reserve seats for freshmen and incoming transfer students in the class, so you are essentially guaranteed a spot in the class your first year. It will be harder to get into the class as an upperclassman.

Q2: Should I take EECS 16A and EECS 16B before or after CS 70?

A2: EECS16A and 16B were specifically designed to help ease the transition to CS70 for incoming students. These classes provide an introduction to proofs and the kind of mathematical thinking that is very useful in a class like CS70. We recommend you take 16AB before taking CS70, this should help you have an easier time in CS 70.

Q3: Should I take MATH 54 before taking EECS16A?

A3: EECS 16A is designed to be taken without any prerequisites, so there is no need to take MATH 54 before EECS 16A. EECS 16AB teaches linear algebra with the intent of preparing you for courses like EECS 127 (Optimization) and EECS 189 (Machine Learning) and provides engineering and machine learning examples and applications for linear algebra. EECS 16AB also uses Jupyter notebooks and python so you can better connect linear algebra and computation.

Feedback

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