Florian Pop: Math 371 (Algebra C)

Office/Phone/Fax: DRL 4E7A / 215-898-5971 / 215-573-4063

Office hours: By appointment

See Penn Math course information

Teaching Assistant: Charles Siegel

E-mail:  AT math.upenn.edu

Office/Phone: DRL 4N31 / 215-898-7621

Office Hours: TBA.

General Information

• Lecture class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:00-1:00 PM in DRL 4C8.
• Lab session on Tuesday / Thursday at 6:30-8:30 PM in DRL 4C8. The lab is an integral part of this course, and attendance is required.
• This is the second half of a year-long course on abstract algebra, following Math370. A similar (but more theoretical) sequence is Math502 -- Math503.
• Rigor is a basic tenet of this course. The students are expected to learn the language of rigorous mathematical argumentation and to be able to distinguish between complete proofs and argumentation with gaps. The ability to write coherent mathematical proofs is necessary in order to achieve a passing grade.
• The materials include basic facts about a rigorous approach to algebraic structures; precisely, we will briefly recall the basic notions about sets, composition laws, groups, and rings; and then move on to study modules and vector spaces, and elementary facts about field extensions, in particular about the solvability of polynomial equations, etc.

  We will follow closely the book Topics in Algebra by I. N. Herstein (which was used in the first part Math370 of this year long course), and concentrate on parts of the Chapters 4, 5, 6. Concrete examples will be emphasized.

• Required background and Advice: I expect that everyone knows the basic definitions/facts from Chapters 1, 2, 3, of Herstein's book (which will be though briefly recapitulated).
  
• Main textbook:
  • Topics in Algebra by I. N. Herstein.
• Further reading:
  • Algebra by Serge Lang
  • Algebra by Thomas W. Hungerford.

Basic Rules:

• The Final grade is based on: Two exams in class (20%+35%), and everything else (45%). "Everything else" consists of regular homework, participation and performance in the lab sessions.

  Exam dates (tentatively): Oct 15, 2008 / Dec 5, 2008.

• Announcements, homework assignment, notes, sample problems, etc. will all be posted on web. No hard copies will be distributed. Please check this page frequently for the most updated information.

  Remember to use the RELOAD button of your browser as often as possible!!!

• Homework:
  • Homework will be assigned each week, and in oder to see the homework please follow the links under Homework Math 371. The homework assignment of each week is due on the end of the next week.
  • Your works should contain complete, rigorous and logically correct proofs. (A reminder: Part of a rigorous and logically correct formulation of a proof is a grammatically correctly written proof.)
  • You are encouraged to work in groups and discuss/communicate as much as possible with each other. But the work you hand in MUST BE YOUR OWN WRITE-UP.
  • Homework will be spot graded and returned in the following lab session.
  • Late homework will NOT be accepted!
• Lab Sessions
  • The lab session is an integral part of this course, and thus attendance is required.
  • Students will be required to present their works during the lab sessions. This is a part of the training to find and communicate mathematically correct proofs.
  • Homework can be collected during lab sessions too.

  Never ever give up!!!

Info pages for undergraduate math:

• General Mathematics Undergraduate Information
• Information and advice for current and prospective Mathematics Majors.
• A list of courses in other departments that can be counted as Mathematics Electives in the major.
• Biological Mathematics major
• Mathematics Minor requirements

• See also Semester Calendar

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