MAS3301 --- Modern Algebra --- Spring 2006

• Time and place:Love Building room 107, MWF: 10:10 - 11:00 am.
• Text: The course will be based on your course notes, online notes (mainly http://en.wikipedia.org), and notes handed out in class. A textbook is optional but not necessary.
• Course webpage: http://www.math.fsu.edu/~hoeij/MAS3301
• Instructor: Dr. Mark van Hoeij, Love building 211, tel. no. 644-3879, email: hoeij@math.fsu.edu
• Office hours: MWF: 11:00-11:45. If these hours don't work for you, let me know, and I'll also be available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
• Course description and objectives: The purpose of this course is to introduce students to some of the modern concepts in algebra that arise from our knowledge of number systems. We shall take a rather concrete approach to our study, motivating abstract concepts with concrete, familiar examples. A list of topics is
  1. Fields: Real Numbers and Complex Numbers
  2. Fields: Complex Numbers and Quaternions
  3. Rings: Integers and Modular Arithmetic with applications in cryptography
  4. Groups: Modular and Complex Units
  5. Groups: Isomorphism, Subgroups, Order
  6. Building Blocks: Primes, Gaussian Integers
• Attendance: Most of the material that I expect you to master will be presented in class. There will be significant student participation in class as well. I therefore expect students to attend regularly. Generally, please arrive to class on time and do not to leave class until I have dismissed it. If you must leave class early, please let me know before class begins.
• Prerequisites: MAS3105 (Applied Linear Algebra I) with a grade of C- or better.
• Grading/Exams: Your grade in the course will be based on class participation (including performance on homework assignments) and exams. There will be four unit tests, and a final exam which will be held on Thursday, April 27, 10:00 - 12:00 noon (click here for the schedule of all finals).
  The grade is determined as A = 92-100, A- = 90-91.9, B+ = 88-89.9, B = 82-87.9, B- = 80-81.9, C+ = 78-79.9, C = 72-77.9, C- = 70-71.9, D+ = 68-69.9, D = 60-67.9, F = below 60.

---

• Honor code: A copy of the University Academic Honor Code can be found in the current Student Handbook. You are bound by this in all of your academic work. It is based on the premise that each student has the responsibility 1) to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student's own work, 2) to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the University community, and 3) to foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of the University community. You have successfully completed many mathematics courses and know that on a ``test'' you may not give or receive any help from a person or written material except as specifically designed acceptable. Out of class you are encouraged to work together on assignments but plagiarizing of the work of others or study manuals is academically dishonest.
• ADA statement: Students with disabilities needing academic accommodations should: 1) register with and provide documentation to the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC); 2) bring a letter to the instructor from SDRC indicating you need academic accommodations. This should be done within the first week of class. This and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.