Math 370 Home Page, Fall 2009
Instructor:
Ching-Li Chai
Office: DRL 4N36, Ext. 8-8469.
Office Hours: Mondays 11-12, Fridays 11-12.
Email:chai@math.upenn.edu
Teaching Assistant:
Andrew Rupinski
Office: DRL 4C17, Ext. 8-5196.
Email:rupinski@math.upenn.edu
WWW tip: Click on the "Reload" button to make sure you are
seeing the most up-to-date version of this (or any) page!
Some Advice
Syllabus outline
Evolving log:
what have been explained/done in class, and
plan for the next few lectures.
Notes and Homework Assignment
General Information about Math 370:
- Lecture class meetings are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
from 12:00 to 12:50 in DRL 4C6.
- Lab sessions are on
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in DRL 4C4.
The lab is an integral part of this course; attendance is required.
- This is the first half of a year-long course on algebra, followed by
Math371. A similar, but more theoretical, sequence is Math 502-Math 503.
- Rigor is a basic tenet of this course. The students are expected to
learn the language of rigorous mathematics, and to differentiate
complete proofs from arguments with gaps.
The ability to write coherent mathematical proofs is necessary
to achieve a passing grade .
- The materials include group actions,
rings, ideals, factorization, modules, canonical forms,
Sylow's theorems.
See an outline of the syllabus.
The materials include linear algebra and group theory,
corresponding to Chapters 2, 3, 4 and part of chapters 5, 6
of Artin's book.
Concrete examples will be emphasized.
- Advice for Math 370
- Text book: Algebra, by Michael Artin, is the official textbook.
You are strongly encouraged to read it and do as many problems in it
as you can. If you find another textbook (e.g. Herstein's
Topics in Algebra more appealing,
- Announcement, homework assignment, notes, sample problems,
solutions 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 to Reload button of your browser.
Basic Ground Rules:
- The Final grade is based on: Final Exam (30%), Midterm Exams (30%)
and everything else (40%).
"Everything else" consists of regular homework,
participation and performance in the lab sessions.
- Homeworks
- Homeworks will be assigned each week.
They are due the following week.
Follow this link to see the
assigned problems.
- Your works should contain complete, rigorous and
logically correct proofs.
(A reminder: The usual rules of English grammar also apply in
mathematical writing.)
- You are encourage to work in groups and discuss with each other.
But the work you hand in MUST BE YOUR OWN WRITE-UP.
- Homeworks will be spot graded and returned in the following
lab session. Answers to selected problems will be posted.
- LATE WORK will NEVER be accepted.
- Lab Sessions
- The lab session is an integral part of this course. Attendance is
required.
- Students will be required to present their works during the lab sessions.
This is a part of the training to construct and communicate
mathematically correct proofs.
- Homeworks will be collected during lab sessions.
-
Official rules governing final examinations
Grading notes: At the end of the semester, everyone who has
not withdrawn from the class will get a grade.
Incompletes will not be given to avoid F's.
Info pages for undergraduate math:
Semester Calendar:
- First Day of Classes: Wednesday, September 9, 2009.
- Course selection period ends: Friday, September 25, 2009.
- Drop period ends: Friday, October 16, 2009
- Fall break: Saturday,October 17 -- Monday, October 19, 2009.
- Midterm: Wednesday, October 21 (tentative)
- Last day to withdraw: Friday, November 20, 2009.
- Thanksgiving: November 26, 2009.
- Last day of classes: Thursday, December 10, 2009
- Reading days: Friday, December 11 -- Monday, December 14, 2009.
- Final Exam: 12:00-2:00 pm, Thursday, December 17, 2009, DRL A7.
Some Advice
Syllabus outline
Evolving log:
what have been explained/done in class, and
plan for the next few lectures.
Notes and Homework Assignment