Spring 2014 Course Syllabus - Mathematics 3101.002

Course: Mathematics 3101.002.
Course Title: Topics in Modern Algebra.
Time: M 12:00-12:50, TR 9:30 -- 10:50.
Place: M: BARTNB 402, TR: BARTNB 200.
Instructor: Datskovsky, Boris A.
Instructor Office: WCHMAN 632.
Instructor Email: boris.datskovsky@temple.edu
Instructor Phone: 215-204-7847.
Office Hours: TR 1:30-3:00.
Prerequisites: Math 3098 (W205) with a grade of C- or higher or transfer credit for Math 3098.
Textbook: D.S. Malik, J. M. Mordeson and M. K. Sen, Fundamentals of Abstract Algebra, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1997. The text is available on line at https://people.creighton.edu/~dsm33733/MTH581.
Course Goals: This course will deal with theory of rings, modules, and fields. Its primary objectives are to lay the foundations of modern algebra and to develop abstract reasoning and clear communication skills in the context of ring and field theory.
Topics Covered: Rings, subrings, ideals and homomorphisms, polynomial rings, Euclidean rings, principal ideal domains, unique factorization domains, vector spaces and modules over principal ideal domains, fields and field extensions, finite Galois theory, solvability of equations by radicals.
Course Grading: Your grade will be based on a midterm, a final, and homework assignments. The midterm will count for 25% and the final for 35% of your grade. The homework will count for the remaining 40% of your grade.
Exam Dates: Midterm -- Thursday, March 13, Final -- Thursday, May 8, 8:00-10:00.
Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is expected. If you miss a class, please contact me by e-mail in order to find out what material you have missed and what homework problems have been assigned.
Homework: Homework will be assigned at the end of every class but will not be collected. Instead, I will begin each class by answering homework questions. In addition, at the end of every two weeks of classes, excluding the week of the midterm, I will give you a written homework assignment consisting of selected homework problems to be submitted the following week. The assignments will be graded and returned to you for revisions. Your homework score will be based on the written homework assignments. Please note that it is very important to do all your homework, the problems that I collect in writing as well as those that I do not, as the exams will be based on homework.
Num.-to-Letter-Grade Scale: 93-100 A, 90-92 A-, 87-89 B+, 83-86 B, 80-82 B-, 77-79 C+, 73-76 C, 70-72 C-, 65-69 D+, 55-64 D, 50-54 D-, 0-49 F.
Calculator Policy: No calculators will be allowed in this class. I suggest that you do not bring one to class either in order not to annoy me.
Text: The text is available on line at https://people.creighton.edu/~dsm33733/MTH581.

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at (215) 204-1280, 100 Ritter Annex, to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.

Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here.

Students will be charged for a course unless a withdrawal form is processed by a registration office of the University by the Drop/Add deadline date given below. For this semester, the crucial dates are as follows:

• The first day of classes is Tuesday, January 21.
• The last day to drop/add (tuition refund available) is Monday, February 3.
• Spring recess is the week of Sunday, March 2 - Sunday, March 9.
• The last day to withdraw (no refund) is Tuesday, March 25.
• The last day of classes is Monday, May 5.

During the first two weeks of the fall or spring semester or summer sessions, students may withdraw from a course with no record of the class appearing on the transcript. In weeks three through nine of the fall or spring semester, or during weeks three and four of summer sessions, the student may withdraw with the advisor's permission. The course will be recorded on the transcript with the instructor's notation of "W," indicating that the student withdrew. After week nine of the fall or spring semester, or week four of summer sessions, students may not withdraw from courses. No student may withdraw from more than five courses during the duration of his/her studies to earn a bachelor's degree. A student may not withdraw from the same course more than once. Students who miss the final exam and do not make alternative arrangements before the grades are turned in will be graded F.

The grade I (an "incomplete") is reserved for extreme circumstances. It is necessary to have completed almost all of the course with a passing average and to file an incomplete contract specifying what is left for you to do. To be eligible for an I grade you need a good reason and you should have missed not more than 25% of the first nine weeks of classes. If approved by the Mathematics Department chair and the CST Dean's office, the incomplete contract must include a default grade that will be used in case the I grade is not resolved within 12 months.