MATH 332: SPRING 2003

Course Requirements:

• Homework: homework will be assigned weekly. Homework problems will be discussed in class, and several proofs will be handed in each week. You will also be expected to do homework problems at the board on an occasional basis.
• Exams: There will be a midterm exam and a final exam.
• Project: There will be 1 project consisting of a 20-30 minute class presentation and a 3-5 page written report. For the project, you may find an application of abstract algebra to another discipline or pursue a related topic that we won’t cover in class. There are several applications in the book that are suitable project topics, such as Chapters 12, 16-17, 24, 25, 28, 39-40. Presentations will take place during the last couple of weeks of the semester.

Your grade will be based on homework (30%), midterm (25%), final (25%), project (15%), and attendance and class participation (5%).

If this is your first 300-level course, you will discover that in addition to coming to class and taking notes, you will need to read the book, and you might need to spend several days thinking about the homework problems before coming up with the solution. Keep this in mind when planning your study time. Also, feel free to discuss the homework problems with your fellow students, as long as you do your own write-ups of the proofs.

Finally, abstract algebra is a beautiful but difficult subject. If you want to understand the material on a deep level, you will likely undergo periods of frustration along the way. This is part of the process of becoming a mathematician. When things finally fall into place, I hope you will find that the journey was well worth it!

I’m happy to help you in any way I can. Good luck, and welcome!