Math 402, Joel M. Cohen (Fall, 2001)

This WEB page is http://www.math.umd.edu/~jmc/402.html, and was last updated:8/28/01

Title: College Algebra with Applications
Instructor: Professor Joel M. Cohen

Office: MTH 2313, Telephone: (301)405-5109
Home phone: (202)546-1823.

Class Time: T-Th, 12:30-1:45
Location: Math 0106
Book:  Contemporary Abstract Algebra, fourth edition by Joseph Gallian
Web Program supplement: There is an useful set of software programs that will help with some of the homework problems.  It can be found at
 http://www.d.umn.edu/~jgallian/msproject/project_head.html .
 

Office Hours: T-Th 3:30-4:30.  Occasionally, it may be necessary to change this time, so let me know if you are planning to see me. Feel free to make an appointment for a different time if you cannot see me during those hours. You can also send me email. I will answer queries as quickly as possible during office hours, and as time permits otherwise.

    This is the less theoretical of the two upper-level undergraduate abstract algebra courses at the University of Maryland.  (Students planning graduate work in mathematics should take the other course which is Math 403.) It will cover the basics of groups, rings, integral domains and fields. There will be a detailed study of several groups, and a study of the properties of integers and polynomials.  Emphasis is on the origin of the mathematical ideas studied and the logical structure of the subject.
 

    Makeup exams will rarely be given.  If you have an excused absence for an exam, the grade will be replaced by 1/2 of the final exam grade.  Excused absences will be given only with documentation and only for valid medical reasons, University business, or appearances in court.  Excused homework or quizzes will not be used in computing the final grade.   Make-up quizzes will not be given.  Any unexcused absences on quizzes or exams or unexcused late homework will be counted as 0, including the final exam.  Any student with a valid reason to be excused from an exam must contact me prior to the exam, either by email or by phone, and present documentation at the next class session attended.   If you need to be excused for a religious observance, you should let me know as soon as possible, but in any case no later than the end of the schedule adjustment period.
 
 

Homework:  Homework problems from the text are listed below.  Requested problems will be discussed in class.  Homework will be due each Tuesday, and will be on all the chapters covered up to the previouos Thursday.  There will be occasional quizzes on homework problems or their equivalent.
 

Grading: A total of 550points is available in the course:
 

Three hour exams (100 points,  lowest counts half) 250
Final 200
Homework/Quizzes 100
Total 550

Web Posting:  If you have given written permission to post your grades under an alias, you may check the grades by clicking here.

Quality: The quality of presentation of solutions will be taken seriously in this course in the grading of tests and quizzes.
 

The schedule of exams follows:
 

Thursday, October 11 Test I
Thursday, November 8 Test II
Thursday, November 29 Test III
Tuesday, December 18 (8-10) Final

A tentative schedule of homework follows.
 
 



















Homework Assignments §

There are computer assignments in Chapters 0,1,2,3,4,8,11,12,13,and 17.  All of these are to be done, and they can be done easily by using the software at http://www.d.umn.edu/~jgallian/msproject/project_head.html .  Your answer will in some cases just be a number, or just a phrase to say,``Yes, I got what they asked for."  In addition to these short assignments, do the following:
 
Page Problems
Chapter 0 21 1,2,3,17,25,36,39
Chapter 1 35 1,2,3,13
Chapter 2 51 1,2,3,4,9,16,33
Chapter 3 65 1,2,3,5,10,23,29,45
Chapter 4 79 1,2,3,5,13,27,38,46,57
Chapter 5 107 1,3,5,8,17,18,25,36,49
Chapter 6 126 1,2,7,11,24,31
Chapter 7 142 2,6,10,12,17,21,28,34,43,
Chapter 8 161 1,2,8,15,25,38,52
Chapter 9 185 1,10,12,27,32,35,37,44,48,53,54,62,67
Chapter 10 203 1,6,12,13,18,26,35*,36*,42,53
Chapter 11 217 1,2,3,4,6,11,15,20,30
Chapter 12 203 1,2,3,4,5,6,8,10,17,18,25,39,42
Chapter 13 242 2,5,17,20,24,31,42,52
Chapter 16 287 3,11,17,27,32,42
Chapter 17 303 1,3,4,14,25,32
Chapter 18 320 1,7,9,13,21,34
Chapter 20 354 2,7,13,27
Chapter 21 367 8, 16, 24
Chapter 22 379 1,7,12,25,30
Chapter 23 387 1,2,3,4,7,11,13,18,20

    * Not to hand in.  Please stare at them long enough to understand the meaning.  Try to do an example.

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