Fall 2013
Algebraic Structures
MWF 12-1PM
Cupples 1 199

Instructor Email Phone Office Hours
Blake Thornton blake@math.wustl.edu 935-6301 Cupples I 108A
1-2PM MWF
Or By Appintment
(Feel free to stop in)


Course Description
Polynomials, binomial expansions, factoring, rings (integers and polynomials), unique factorization, and other topics relevant to the high school curriculum. Designed for future secondary school teachers and other students.

Textbook and Materials
A Concrete Approach to Abstract Algebra by Jeffrey Bergen
We plan to cover a subset of chapters 1-9 (and possibly other topics too).

Prerequisite
Math 310.

Homework
There will be weekly homework, see below.

Grades and Exams
15% Class Participation
35% Homework  
15% Exam 1 Wed Oct 2
15% Exam 2 Wed Nov 12
20% Final Dec 13, 1-3PM (Location TBA)



Tentative Schedule
Week Dates Notes Homework
1 Aug 28-30 Chapter 1, 2.1-3
Well Ordering, Contradiction, Induction
Due Sept 4 (Finalized)
Ch 1: 4, 9, 10, 11
2.1: 1, 5, 8, 9, 33, 37
2 Sept 2-6 No Class on Monday
Functions and binary operations
Integers and Primes: Prime Handout
Due Sept 11 (Finalized)
2.4: 4-6, 7-10, 19-20, 39,40,41,42, 72
3.3: 9, 12, 22, 24
3 Sept 9-13 GCD Due Sept 18 (Finalized)
3.4: 2, 3, 25, 33, 47, 48
4.1: 11, 13, 16, 17
4.3: 1,2,3, 9,10, 25, 27
4 Sept 16-20 Fields and Polynomials Due Sept 25 (Finalized)
5.1: 9, 24, 28, 36, 44
5.4: 13, 16, 21
5 Sept 23-27 Due Oct 2 (Finalized)
5.4: 29, 30, 43, 44, 48
5.5: 3-13
6 Sept 30-Oct 4 Exam 1 Wednesday
Gaussian Integers
Due Oct 9 (Finalized)
5.5: 13-26
7 Oct 7-11 Complex Numbers and Fund Thm of Algebra Due Oct 16 (Finalized)
6.1: 43,47,51
6.4: 13, 27, 35, 39, 58
8 Oct 14-18 No Class Friday
Modular Arithmetic
Due Oct 23 (Finalized)
7.2: 7-12, 16, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 54, 55, 56
9 Oct 21-25 Modular Arithmetic Due Oct 30 (Finalized)
7.2: 60, 61, 67, 69, 70
7.3: 4, 7, 9, 16, 24, 37-40, 46, 54, 55
10 Oct 28-Nov 1 Polynomial Rings Due Nov 6 (Finalized)
9.1: 27-33, 34, 47, 48, 49, 50
9.2: 14, 15, 21-26
11 Nov 4-8 Irreducible Polynomials Due Nov 13 (Finalized and shortened)
9.3: 4, 9, 15, 24, 28
9.4: 3,9,15,21,27,34, 36, 38, 40,41,42
12 Nov 11-15 Exam 2 Wednesday: Exam2.pdf Due Nov 20 (Finalized)
No HW Due!
13 Nov 18-22 Due Nov 27 (Finalized)
No HW Due!
14 Nov 25-29 No Class Wed/Fri Due Dec 4 (Finalized)
11.1: 1-8
13.1: 8-10, 12, 18, 35
15 Dec 2-6 Last Day of Class Wednesday
NO CLASS FRIDAY
Due Dec 11 (Finalized)
None!
  Fri
Dec 13
Final, 1-3PM
Cupples 1 Room 6