Abstract algebra I (Math 128A), Fall 2020

Zoom, MW 9:00-10:15am (Sec 01, code 48166)

Last update of this page: Fri Dec 11, 12:20pm

Ongoing useful links:

• Class Gradescope page
• Download Adobe Scan
• How to videos: How to submit HW on gradescope, How to use Adobe Scan.
• And here's a full rundown of one effective way to use Gradescope and Adobe Scan together, which should work for either homework or exams. (Please let me know immediately if this doesn't work for you, and I'll fix the instructions.)
  • To start, make sure that you are logged into Gradescope on your phone.
  • Make sure you put each problem on a different page (the "Match pages sequentially" approach).
  • Scan in your document using Adobe Scan, and save it to your Google Drive ("My Drive"). Make sure you use a file name you can remember.
  • Go to Gradescope on your phone, and go through the submission process. When Gradescope asks you to select a PDF, you should get My Drive as an option, at which you can find your PDF using the memorable file name. (And as mentioned above, when you match problems to pages, you'll want to match pages sequentially, because the selection process is more awkward on a phone.)
• A simpler, but slower, alternative is to email the PDF to yourself when you create it on Adobe Scan, and then download the file to your laptop/desktop computer. Once you do that, uploading it to Gradescope on your laptop/desktop will be relatively straightforward. As a last resort, you can always email it to me, and I'll figure out what to do.
• Class Piazza page.

Announcements:

• Exam 3, Mon Nov 23.
• The textbook for this class is Gallian's Contemporary Abstract Algebra, 9th edition. Make sure you get the 9th edition (blue 5-leaf clover on a black background), because otherwise your problem numbers won't match mine. Here are some good ways to get the text for under $100:
  • You can order the book from the bookstore here.
  • You can order the book directly from the publisher. That's cheaper, but doesn't seem to have a return policy.
  • You can get the book at amazon, but they do this annoying thing where they have different prices for different people, so I can't predict if you'll get a better or worse price there. I also have no idea what their return policy is.
• Click here to go to our Canvas page. You can also get to our Piazza discussion group from our Canvas page; click on the "Piazza" menu item on the left-hand side.
• Alternatively, to get to our Piazza discussion group directly, just click on this link.
• Our weekly problem sessions will be held every Friday, 10am-noon, on Zoom.
• If you'd like to do some review/self-study on methods of proof, see this handout on writing proofs. You might also try looking at Reading, Writing, and Proving, by Daepp and Gorkin.

FUA (Frequently Used Acronyms):

Administrative handouts:

Course notes:

Patterns for: D₄ calculators (squares), D₅ calculators (pentagons), D₆ calculators (hexagons), Platonic solids.

Also, check out Gallian's website, with links to useful things like online flash cards for definitions (hard copy version).

Topics for exams:

Exam 1, Exam 2, Exam 3, Final exam.

Sample exams:

Exam 1, Exam 2, Exam 3, Final exam.

Online lectures:

Click on the link in the "Sections covered" column for a copy of the slides for the day; click on the link in "Extra slides" for other stuff displayed that day; and click on the link in the "Video" column to watch the lecture on YouTube or Zoom cloud recording. Or just check out our class playlist here.

Problem sets:

HW	New definitions	Outline due	Due date	Last revision due	Problems
PS00	n/a	n/a	Mon Aug 24	n/a	See handout
PS01	Ch. 1	Mon Aug 24	Wed Aug 26	Wed Oct 21	See handout
PS02	Chs. 2, 3	Wed Sep 02	Wed Sep 09	Wed Nov 25	See handout
PS03	Ch. 4	Wed Sep 09	Mon Sep 14	Wed Nov 25	See handout (CORRECTED SEP 09)
PS04	Ch. 5	Wed Sep 23	Mon Sep 28	Wed Nov 25	See handout
PS05	Ch. 6	Wed Sep 30	Mon Oct 05	Mon Dec 07	See handout
PS06	Ch. 7	Fri Oct 09	Wed Oct 14	Mon Dec 07	See handout
PS07	Ch. 8	Mon Oct 26	Wed Oct 28	Mon Dec 07	See handout
PS08	Ch. 9	Mon Nov 02	Wed Nov 04	Mon Dec 14	See handout (Problem 8 no longer assigned)
PS09	Ch. 10	Mon Nov 09	Mon Nov 16	Mon Dec 14	See handout
PS10	Chs. 11, 12	Fri Nov 20	Mon Nov 30	TBA	See handout
PS11	Ch. 14	Wed Dec 02	Mon Dec 07	TBA	See handout

Reading assigned in course:

Contemporary Abstract Algebra, Gallian: Chapters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14.

Proof handout: Parts I-II, Sec. 16, 17, 18.

Other useful links:

• If you're interested in typesetting math, the system I use to make my handouts is called LaTeX. If you have a Windows PC, you can download LaTeX for free at http://www.miktex.org; you will also need a good text editor, like the shareware program WinEdt. PCTeX also makes a good commercial version; student prices are $150 for the "Publisher" version, which I recommend if you have the money, $50 for the "Writer" version, which I recommend if you don't. If you own a Mac, you can download a complete system called TeXShop for free. If you own a Linux computer, you already own a copy of this program, as it's been a standard Unix program for about 20 years.

  LaTeX is well worth learning, if you have some free time; it's used for manuals and technical reports throughout nerd-dom. For self-study, I highly recommend Learning LaTeX (Griffiths and Higham) for beginners, and the LaTeX book by Leslie Lamport as a reference.

• Free downloads: Adobe Acrobat (for reading .pdf files)

• Instructor: Tim Hsu.
• Required text: Contemporary Abstract Algebra, Gallian, 9th ed.
• Optional text: Writing Proofs, Hsu, downloadable here
• Homework: Outline and final version due once each week, except in exam weeks. For details, see the handout on homework in Math 128A.
• Exams: Three in-class 50-minute exams, plus 2 hour, 15 min final exam (Tue Dec 15, 7:15-9:30am).
• Grading: Final course grades consist of:
  

  Homework:	25%
  Exam 1:	14%
  Exams 2 & 3:	18% each
  Final:	25%