University of Rhode Island MTH316: Algebra
Spring 2017
General Information
Course Goals
Course Schedule
Assignments






Symmetry group of the square

General Information

Instructor: Tom Sharland
email: tsharland "at" uri "dot" edu
Lectures: TTH 9.30-10.45, Tyler 109
Office: Lippitt Hall 202F
Office hours:M 10.30-11.30, W 9.30-10.30, Th 2-3 or by appointment

Course description: This is an introductory course in abstract algebra and more precisely on group theory. Starting from the definitions, we will prove a number of fundamental results about these algebraic structures. There will be an emphasis on proofs in this course, so some mathematical maturity will be expected.

This course will be relatively fast-paced, so in order to keep up with the material, you should be prepared to spend sufficient time outside of class attempting practice problems and reading and understanding your notes and textbook.

Textbook: Contemporary Abstract Algebra (9th ed.) by Joseph A. Gallian. If you happen to have the 8th edition, this should be fine - I will try to accommodate any differences when setting homework. The author has a webpage dedicated to the book, you can find it by following this link. The second, third and fourth items are particularly enlightening and well worth reading.

Prerequisites: MTH 215 and MTH 307.


Homework and Quizzes: Homework will be assigned weekly and will contain two components. Each week I will highlight in bold font three questions, one of which (your choice) should be carefully solved and handed in at the start of class on the following Tuesday - this is the first component. You are expected to produce legible, well argued answers with full explanations. The second component will be weekly quizzes (no notes allowed) which will be based on (but not necessarily exactly the same as) the questions in the homework. Some leeway will be given on these answers due to time constraints. Each component will contribute half-weight to the total homework score, thus each is worth 10% of the total grade.

You are positively encouraged to work together on the homework assignments. However, you should write up your submitted solutions on your own - this will ensure you understand the answer. To check for this (and to prevent plagiarism), I may on occasion set a quiz question that was on the submitted homework. I am more than happy to discuss the homework in office hours, but will at most provide very small advice on the submitted questions.

Knowledge Check:To make sure you are keeping on top of the material, I will carry out a weekly knowledge check. This will be a short test where you are required to write down a definition or a result from class. Knowledge of these are vital for success in this class - if you don't know what the terms mean, you won't be able to prove results about them!

You are also expected to keep up with the reading to maintain pace with the class. I will post suggested reading each week. Note that mathematical reading is different from reading a novel or magazine: you will need to concentrate on the exact words and phrases, and probably use a pen/cil and paper to verify some of the claims made for yourself. The textbook is designed to complement your notes, so take advantage of both!

Grade breakdown: The grading scheme will be as follows:

  • Knowledge Check: 5%
  • Quizzes: 10%
  • Homework: 10%
  • Midterm I: 20% - Midterm I will take place in class on 10/19. Here is a review sheet
  • Midterm II: 25% - Midterm II will take place in class on 11/21.
  • Final: 30%
The final will be cumulative, and for this reason a strong performance on the final will be taken into account when calculating the final letter grade. There are no plans for extra credit.

Accommodations: Any student with a documented disability is welcome to contact me as early in the semester as possible so that we may arrange reasonable accommodations. As part of this process, please be in touch with Disability Services for Students Office at 330 Memorial Union, 401-874-2098 (http://www.uri.edu/disability/dss/).

Religious holidays: It is the policy of the University of Rhode Island to accord students, on an individual basis, the opportunity to observe their traditional religious holidays. Students desiring to observe a holiday of special importance must provide written notification to each instructor according to the procedure set forth in Sections 8.51.11 & 8.51.12 of the University Manual ( http://www.uri.edu/facsen/8.50-8.57.html )

Standards of behaviour: Students are responsible for being familiar with and adhering to the published "Community Standards of Behavior: University Policies and Regulations" which can be accessed in the University Student Handbook. If you must come in late, please do not disrupt the class. Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, or any electronic devices.

Academic Honesty: All submitted work must be your own. If you consult other sources (class readings, articles or books from the library, articles available through internet databases, or websites) these MUST be properly documented, or you will be charged with plagiarism and will receive an F for the paper. In some cases, this may result in a failure of the course as well. In addition, the charge of academic dishonesty will go on your record in the Office of Student Life. If you have any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, visit the following websites: the URI Student Handbook, and Sections 8.27.10 – 8.27.21 of the University Manual.

Academic Enhancement Center: The work in this course is complex and intensive. To do the best you can, it’s a good idea to visit the Academic Enhancement Center (AEC) in Roosevelt Hall. The AEC offers a comfortable environment in which to study alone or together, with or without a tutor. AEC tutors can answer questions, clarify concepts, check understanding, and help you to study. You can make an appointment or walk in during office hours — Monday through Thursday from 9 am. to 9 pm, Friday from 9 am to 1 pm, and Sunday from 4 pm. to 8 pm. For a complete schedule For a complete schedule – including when tutors are available specifically for this class – go to web.uri.edu/aec, call (401) 874-2367, or stop by the fourth floor in Roosevelt Hall.