Math 4000 Syllabus   (Spring 2004)

 

Topic:    Modern Algebra and Geometry I                                             Room:   Life Sciences C112

Call Number:   50-144                                                                    2nd Period:     9:05-9:55 AM

 

Instructor:    Dr. Robert Rumely                                                        E-mail:    rr@math.uga.edu

               Office:   437 Grad Studies                                                                       (706) 542-2630

               Home:    1081 Twin Lakes Road, Athens, Ga. 30606                             (706) 543-0443

 

Office Hours:   to be decided during the first two days of class.   

 

Text:      Shifrin,    Abstract Algebra:   A Geometric Approach

 

Purpose:    One goal of this course is for you to recognize algebraic structures common to the

             integers, polynomials, rational, real and complex numbers, and to see how abstraction,

             properly motivated by examples, leads to greater understanding of the examples.   A

             payoff will be a proof of the impossibility of doubling the cube or trisecting an angle,

 by ruler and compass.  

                   For those of you planning to be secondary mathematics teachers, we hope that this

             course will help you truly understand high school algebra better, from a different

 perspective than you have considered before.

 

Grades:  There will be three hour-long exams (45%), a comprehensive final exam (25%),

             and weekly graded homework assignments (30%).    You are expected to pay attention

             to the correctness and clarity in writing up your solutions – grammar and syntax do count. 

                    Typically each assignment will have three types of problems:

·        Problems you should work, but not turn in – some are computational, and some are warm-ups for problems to turn in.  (An open secret:  some of these may turn up on exams.)

·        Problems you should turn in – typically five or six, each assignment

·        Challenge problems.  If you want to enhance your chances of earning an “A”, you should be doing these on a regular basis.  You must turn in at least one challenge problem each assignment. 

              Occasionally there will also be one-page “reflective essays” designed to help you explore

              connections between topics.

 

Tentative dates for in-class Exams:    February 13, March 22, April 28

 

Final Exam:           Wednesday, May 5, 8-11AM

 

Attendance:    Attendance will be taken starting Monday, January 12

             Students with more than  3  unexcused absences may be withdrawn from the class. 

 

Academic Honesty:  The course will operate in accordance with UGA’s academic honesty policy

 (http://www.uga.edu/ovpi)