Intro to Abstract Algebra
Math 419/519 - Spring 2012

Instructor: Adam S. Sikora 115 Math Bldg, Email: asikora at buffalo.edu
Office hours: Tu 3:30-4:30, Th 1-2pm, or by appointment.
Class meets: Tu,Th 11:00-12:20, 250 Math
Recitations for 419: Tu 8-8:50am, Mth250, (There are no recitations for Mth519)
TA: Michael Rosas, Office: 140 Math Bldg, Phone: 645-8825, Email: marosas at buffalo dot edu
TA's office hours: M,Tu,Th: 12:30-1:30 and Math Help Center, Rm 107/110. M,W: 11-12
Prerequisite: Mth 309, Recommended: Math 311.
Text: T.W. Judson, Abstract Algebra Theory and Applications, free pdf book.
Preliminary Test Schedule: Feb 21, Apr 5, Apr 26.
You are required to know the material in the lectures, and in the homework. Only non-graphing, non-programmable calculators are permitted on exams/quizzes. You are expected to attend each test as scheduled, unless you have a documented medical or other valid excuse. IDs will be checked. Contact me before taking an exam if you are seriously ill.
Quizzes (for Mth419): There will be a short quiz in each recitation on the recent material. No makeups will be given, but the 2 lowest marks will be dropped without penalty.
Additionally, there may be some simple quizzes during lectures.
Homework: due in Tu class. No late homework will be accepted, but the 2 lowest marks will be dropped without penalty. Each homework assignment will consist of a large number of problems, of which only some problems (not specified beforehand) will be graded.
Final grade in MTh419 will be based on HW (and in-class quizzes if they are given), 100pts, and the best of

Therefore, the total number of points is 400.
Mth519 students will be graded induivudally on the basis of three tests and HW.

Tentative Class and HW schedule

Class Date Class contents and HW Due
Jan 17,19 Ch 3 #2,8,14,15,25,30,31 Jan 31
Jan 24,26 Ch 4 #1abc, 2abce, Problem: Find all subgroups of Z_60. (What theorem do you use?) Problem: Is U(30) cyclic?, #18abc, Problem: Compute #18f without expanding the 12th power, #24, #31 Feb 7
Jan 31,Feb 2 Ch 5 1, 2(a),(b),(c), (j),(o), 3(a),(b), 7,13,20,23. Feb 14
Feb 7,9 Ch 5: 18, 29, Ch 6: 1,5,6,7,8,9,11 Feb 21
Feb 14,16 Ch 6: 17,18 Ch 9: 1,2,3,5,6,7 Feb 28
Feb 21,23 Ch 9: #10, Give an example of 3 non-isomorphic abelian groups of order 8 (Prove that they are non-isomorphic), Prove that the quaternion group is not isomorphic to D_4 (Hint: count elts of order 2), #12, #13, #16(a,b,c),#25 Mar 6
Feb 28 Test 1: Ch 3,4,5.
Mar 1 Ch 9: #28,45, Ch 10: 1bde,2,4,7,9 (Hint for 7&9: No. Try G=D_4) Mar 20
Mar 6,8 Ch 10: 10, 13(1st part only: show that C(g) is subgroup), 14abc, Ch 11: 2,3, Pr: Find all homomorphisms Z_6->Z_9 (Hint: Follow the example in class. Each homo h is determined by the value of h(1).) Mar 27
Mar 13,15 Spring Break --
Mar 20,22 Ch 11 #7,15,17 Ch 12 2,3ac,10,11, Prove that the group of orientation preserving isometries of R^2 is generated by translations and rotations wrt the origin. Apr 3
Mar 27,29 Ch 13: 1, Ch 16: 1(justify those which are not rings), 2,3acde, Prove that for every d in Q^*, Q[sqrt(d)]={a+b*sqrt(d): a, b in Q} is a field. Apr 10
Apr 3 Ch 16: 16,19,20,25,26,27,38 Apr 17
Apr 5 Test 2: Ch 6,9,10,11 (1st Isom Thm) Apr 17
Apr 10,12 Ch 16: 4a,c(Hint: use the fact proved in class that every nonzero principal ideal in M_2(R) is M_2(R)),e, 5b,7,10, Prove that the principal ideal (2) in Z[x] is prime but not maximal. Apr 24
Apr 17,19 Ch 17: #3b,#7,#8d (Hint: use a result in Sec 17.3), Prove that x^3+2x^2+3x+4 is irreducible in Q[x] (Hint: use another result in Sec 17.3), #9,#13. suggested due date: Apr 26, but not later than Apr 30
Apr 24 Review --
Apr 26 Test 3: Ch 12,13,16,17 --