Math 4108

Abstract Algebra II

Spring 2013

 

 

Instructor: Dr. Thang Lê.                                                                  Office: Skiles 102B.                          

Website: http://www.math.gatech.edu/~letu.                                     Phone: (404)385-0054. 

E-mail: letu@math.gatech.edu.                            The best way to contact me is by e-mail.

 

Lecture room:  Skiles 254, time:  MWF 10:05-10:55.

Office Hours: MW 9-10 am  & by appointments. 

 

Text: "Topics in Algebra" 2nd ed. by I. N. Herstein and other hand-on materials.

Topics: Modules (Chapter 4), modules over PIDs. Fileds (Chapter 5) including field extensions, roots of polynomials, Galois theory, and solvability by radicals. Selected topics (Chapter 7) including finite fields, Wedderburn's Theorem on finite division rings, Frobenius' Theorem on division rings over reals, and representation theory. 


Homework: Due every other Friday in class. You can check the weekly updates of the homework assignments at http://people.math.gatech.edu/~letu/4108/HW_4108.html. No late homework papers will be accepted. You may collaborate on homework problems, but you have to write up your own solutions. Homework is extremely important as it helps you to attain a deep understanding of the materials. I strongly urge you to do all the assigned problems, as well as the additional problems. Write up your work clearly so that you can understand it yourself upon review. I encourage you to type your homeworks using LaTeX.

Examinations: There will be one full period in-class test, one take-home test, and a final. The exact dates will be announced 1-2 weeks in advance in class. All examinations will be closed-book and closed notes unless otherwise indicated.

 

How to do well in this course:  Read the textbook and lecture notes. Contemplate new notions, definitions, and theorems. Understand proofs. Learning mathematics requires steady effort. Cramming is very risky. Get help as soon as you begin to fall behind. It is important to keep a good set of lecture notes. If you miss a lecture, borrow notes from a classmate.

 

Grading: Grades are computed so all the in-class tests count 40%, final 30%, and homework 30%.