Syllabus

Math 251 Section A, Fall 2019
Taylor Dupuy



  • OFFICE: Room E439, Innovation Building
    e-mail: taylor dot dupuy at uvm dot edu

  • OFFICE HOURS: M 10:40-11:50 a.m. and by appointment

  • TEXT: Abstract Algebra, 3rd edition, by Dummit and Foote, John-Wiley, ISBN 0-471-43334-9

    Errata pages for the book:
    1. As an Adobe Acrobat PDF file: errata.pdf
    2. As a TeX DVI file: errata.dvi

    This course will cover the material in Chapters 1-5 (the basic theory of groups, subgroups, and quotient groups), portions of Chapter 6 (some topics in greater depth dealing with finite groups, including solvable and nilpotent groups), and Chapter 7 (the basic theory of rings, ideals, and quotient rings). This course forms the basis for the continued study of the basic algebraic structures (groups, rings, and fields) in the sequel: Math 252.

    Your grade in this course will be determined on the basis of homework, two mid-term exams (approximately Wednesday, October 2 and Wednesday, November 19), and a final exam (Friday, December 13, 10:30a.m. -- 1:15 p.m., in L111 Lafayette), and will be the maximum of the following two grades:

    A: 20% for the homework (worst two scores removed) and for each of the two mid-term exams, and 40% for the final exam.

    B: 100% final exam (provided the grade determined in A is at least a "C")

    Homework will be due at the beginning of class on the assigned due date and no late homework will be accepted (note that the two worst homework scores are removed from the grading precisely to allow for occasions where submitting homework on time may not be possible). Guidelines for the preparation of homework can be found here:

    Guidelines for Homework Assignments

    Exams may be rescheduled only for compelling, legitimate, and documented reasons. In general, if it is necessary to miss an exam your grade will be determined on the basis of your other work.

    Collaboration on homework is both allowed and encouraged - discussing solutions to mathematics problems is one of the best ways to learn mathematics. Any work submitted must be your own and honest - for example, you must write up your own solutions and be prepared to publicly defend in class any solution you submit. Any joint work should be acknowledged explicitly. Solutions simply copied from some other source without attribution are intellectually dishonest and can be the grounds for dismissal.

  • MISCELLANEOUS: Students are expected to observe appropriate codes of conduct. UVM policies and procedures can be found at: Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities and Code of Academic Integrity

    Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Faculty must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work.

    Students requiring special accommodations must make arrangements within the first two weeks of class.

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