2022 Fall Course Syllabus - Mathematics 3098.001

Course: Mathematics 3098.001.

Course Title: Modern Algebra.

Credits: 3.

How this course will be taught: in person.

Time: lectures TR 11:00am - 12:20pm; recitations M 8:00-8:50am.

Place: Wachman 010 (lectures and recitations).

Instructor: Martin Lorenz.

Instructor Office: Wachman 528.

Instructor Email: martin.lorenz@temple.edu

Instructor Phone: 215-204-5013 (e-mail is preferred).

Office Hours: TR 1:30-3:00pm and by appointment.

Prerequisites: Math 2111 and Math 2101 (or 2103) all with grades of C or higher, or Math 3051 with a grade of C- or higher.

Course Materials: The textbook for this course is Algebra, Abstract and Concrete (Edition 2.6) by Frederick M. Goodman; it is available for free download here. I will also post a copy on the Canvas page for this course. The textbook will mainly be used as a background reference. It is important to take good class notes, because I will not literally follow the presentation in the textbook. In addition, I plan to post my own notes for each lecture on Canvas; these notes will typically contain less detail than the actual lectures, but they should give a good indication of the material covered in class.

Course Goals: The goals of this course are twofold: Students will learn to master some basic concepts and constructions of modern (abstract) algebra and, secondly, how to present coherent written accounts of reasonings involving this material.

Topics Covered: This course is the first part of a two-semester advanced undergraduate sequence (Math 3098/Math 3101) in modern abstract algebra. Math 3098 will mostly be concerned with the theory of groups, roughly covering the material as presented in Chapters 2-5 of Goodman's book (and perhaps some of Chapter 10). Time permitting, a brief introduction to ring theory will be also be given at the end of the semester, the focus being on polynomial rings.

Course Grading: Homeworks: 40%, two midterm exams: 15% each, final exam (comprehensive): 30%.

Exam Dates: Midterm 1 on Thursday, October 6, 11-12:20; Midterm 2 on Thursday, November 17, 11-12:20; Final exam on Tuesday, December 13, 10:30 - 12:30 (as per the TU Examination Schedule for Fall 2022). All exams will be given in our usual class room (Wachman 010).

Attendance Policy: Attendance will be recorded in both lectures and recitations; it will be taken into account in the midterm ratings and in borderline grade cases at the end of the semester. Office hours may not be used to cover material missed due to unjustified absences.

Attendance and Your Health: To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to your instructors' requirements. However, if you feel unwell or if you are under quarantine or in isolation because you have been exposed to the virus or tested positive for it, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. Students have the responsibility to contact their instructors to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as they are able to do so and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion when illness delays their completion.

Homework: Homework (HW) assignments will be posted on the Canvas page of this course. HW will be checked for completeness and returned with a preliminary score. One problem out of each assignment will be corrected for mathematical correctness and quality of the written exposition. You will have the opportunity to submit a revised version of this problem and earn additional points. The maximum is 15 points per assignment. Only legible and timely HW will be accepted. Obvious copies of solutions from the internet or from the work of other students will earn 0 points. The lowest HW score will be dropped from the grade calculation.

Writing Component: Math 3098 is a writing-intensive course. Besides helping you to master the mathematical material of the course, a primary goal of the written HW assignments is to develop your ability to express mathematical ideas in writing and to promote information literacy. I plan to post sample solutions for all HW problems on Canvas. Some HW assignments may be brief writing projects requiring students to research the internet or other sources--the lectures and textbook will not fully cover the topics in question.

Disability Statement: Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in Howard Gittis Student Center South, Rm 420 (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.

Academic Freedom: 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 (opens in new tab/window).

Add/Drop Policy: Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.

During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Incomplete Policy: The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Student Support Services: The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window):
    The Math Consulting Center
    Student Success Center
    University Libraries
    Undergraduate Research Support
    Career Center
    Tuttleman Counseling Services
    Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.