Math 335: Abstract Algebra I, Fall 2017
Instructor: Noah Aydin
Office/Phone: RBH 319 / 5674
Office Hours: M,W: 1-2; T: 9-11; R: 10-11 and by appointment. Here is my weekly schedule.
Textbook: A first course in Abstract Algebra, J. B. Fraleigh, seventh ed, Addison Wesley. Here is a list of errata in the textbook (which misses another error on page 29)
Room & Time: RBH 203 , MWF 10:10-11
Course Description: Abstract Algebra is the study of algebraic structures. The abstraction refers to the perspective taken in the subject, which is very different from that of high school algebra courses. Rather than looking for the solutions to a particular problem, we will be interested in such questions as: When does a solution exist? If a solution does exist, is it unique? What general properties does a solution possess? What general properties are common between different algebraic structures? Our exploration will go beyond such algebraic structures as the integers and the rationals, and our approach will be axiomatic. Indeed, working from a fairly small set of axioms one can describe the properties of a wide range of algebraic structures concisely and elegantly. Focusing on group theory, our study will be motivated by the desire to describe algebraic structures in a rigorous, concise, and elegant way. As an added bonus, group theory will also allow us to quantify the various types of symmetries so prevalent in the world around us. We will cover most of the topics in Chapters 1-3 and some of Chapter 7 in the textbook.
Teaching Philosophy and Expectations
General Course Information and Syllabus