Linear Algebra
Linear Algebra by Friedberg, Insel and Spenceby Friedberg, Insel and Spence
Ranked 3 of 7 linear algebra textbooks by recommenders
Recommended as a clear, well-exercised undergraduate linear algebra text that can be read online for free.
Recommended as a clear, well-exercised undergraduate linear algebra text that can be read online for free.
8 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 8
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 2 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 8 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 2 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Free or very cheap
“It's a great introduction, and better yet, it's completely free!”
Comment from 18 Aug 2026 in “Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler” “because it‘s good and very, very cheap (a Dover)”
Comment from 17 Aug 2026 in “Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler” “can be read online for free”
Comment from 18 Aug 2026 in “Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler” Used as a course text
“FIS was the text for my first “real” mathematics class and it is near and dear to me.”
Comment from 17 Aug 2026 in “Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler” “I recommend and teach my YouTube Live series out of Fraleigh”
Comment from 17 Aug 2026 in “Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler” “I loved FIS for my Advanced Linear Algebra class”
Comment from 17 Aug 2026 in “Linear Algebra Done Right – Sheldon Axler”
Other linear algebra textbooks people recommend
The four most recommended other linear algebra textbooks, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linear Algebra Done Rightby Sheldon Axler | 41 | 12 | 77% | 8 | — | Approved |
| Introduction to Linear Algebraby Gilbert Strang | 11 | 5 | 69% | 4 | — | Approved |
| Linear Algebraby Friedberg, Insel and SpenceThis page | 8 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Linear Algebra and Its Applicationsby David Lay | 6 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| No Bullshit Guide to Linear Algebraby Ivan Savov | 5 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
What people said
All 10 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“It's a great introduction, and better yet, it's completely free!”
“can be read online for free”
“It's a good mix of theory and computation.”
“FIS was the text for my first “real” mathematics class and it is near and dear to me.”
“because it‘s good and very, very cheap (a Dover)”
“I loved FIS for my Advanced Linear Algebra class”
“Very clear, modern notation, great exercises.”
“I recommend and teach my YouTube Live series out of Fraleigh”
“Wow that was so thick, each paragraph took a while to figure”
“These should be enough to give you a first and second year undergrad level education in mathematics”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.