Math 425 - Modern Algebra - Fall 2015


Prerequisite: MTH 203 (Calculus III) and MTH 324 (Linear Algebra).

Instructor: Dr. Nathan Reff
Email: nreff at brockport dot edu
Office: Albert W. Brown Building: 297
Phone: (585) 395-5675
Office Hours: MW 8:00AM-9:00AM, 5:00PM-6:00PM or by appointment, or just see if I am in!
Course Meetings: MWF 9:05AM-9:55AM in Holmes 203
Textbook: Abstract Algebra: Theory and Applications, 2015 Ed., by Thomas Judson. Main site here. Browser version of the text here.
Syllabus: pdf

Class Material
  • Homework
  • Extra Problems and Comments

  • Advice and information
  • Joe Gallian's advice for students taking Modern Algebra.
  • Advice on proof writing (also by Joe Gallian).
  • reasons why Modern Algebra is valuable to math education (and math) majors. (also by Joe Gallian).

  • Useful Software
  • Sage an awesome free open-source Python-based mathematics software.
  • GAP Groups, Algorithms, Programming - a System for Computational Discrete Algebra. Sage (above) includes GAP.
  • Maple and Mathematica can be downloaded for free via the site license agreement with The College at Brockport: SUNY. (login required)
  • GeoGebra another neat free mathematics software.
  • WolframAlpha.

  • Prerequisite Resources
  • Linear Algebra, MIT (has video lectures).
  • Many courses including Linear Algebra, UCCS (has video lectures).

  • Additional Resources
  • Abstract Algebra, Harvard (has video lectures).
  • Many courses including Modern Algebra, UCCS (has video lectures).
  • Many courses including(Modern) Algebra, ICTP-SDU (has video lectures).
  • Visual Group Theory (also has software: Group Explorer).