A First Course in Abstract Algebra

Instructor: Prof. Ilya Kapovich

Spring 2002 ; MATH 317 Section B1

MWF, 9am; Henry 149

WWW: http://www.math.uiuc.edu/~kapovich/317-02/317-02.html

Anonymous on-line feedback form is available.

SCORE REPORTS -Math Department gradebook program where you can look up your quiz, h/work and exam grades. (You will be prompted for your NetId and password).

The final exam has been graded and the course grades have been assigned. You can check your final exam score, your weighted course point total (remember that two low quiz and two low h/wk grades were dropped and that h/wks and quizzes counted a maximum of 90 weighted points each) and your course grade via Score Reports. There is a table at the bottom of this page showing the letter-grade cut-off levels. I will submit the grade roster on the morning of Friday, May10. I will hold regular office hours on Tuesday and Thursday next week. You are welcome to take a look at your final exam and to discuss your grades at that time.

My office hours are Tuesday 10am-11:30am, Thursday, 10am-11:30am (and at other times by appointment). You DO NOT need to tell me in advance if you want to see me during the office hours. If you want to come at a different time, you need to schedule an appointment. My office is located in Illini Hall, room 328

The FINAL EXAM for this course is scheduled for 8:00-11:00 AM, Saturday, May 4 in our usual classroom. Please make sure now that this time is acceptable for you (if not, you urgently need to register for another section!!!) Keep in mind that I will not entertain any requests for "conflict" final exams from people who do not have what the university officially recognizes as a "conflict". See the official university rules regarding exam conflicts here.

We will be using a Math Department "gradebook" program called the "Score Reports". It will allow you to check on your quiz, h/works and exam scores. I'll post a link here as soon as the Math Office sets up the program for us.

Text: A First Course in Abstract Algebra by Joseph Rotman (Second Edition)
COURSE SYLLABUS is available here
Telephone: 265-0633
e-mail: kapovich@math.uiuc.edu. (Preferred method of reaching me!)
Office location: Illini Hall, room 328
Office hours: Tue 10am-11:30am, Th 10am-11:30am, or by appointment

Teaching Assistant: Weiting Cao wcao1@math.uiuc.edu
TA's office hours: Wednesday, 12noon-1pm, Coble Hall basement; tel. 265-5430

Homework assignments:

Due Wednesday, January 23: no. 1.2, 1.6, 1.8, 1.10, 1.12, 1.21, 1.22, 1.24, 1.25
Due Wednesday, January 30: no. 1.38, 1.39, 1.40, 1.42, 1.47, 1.48, 1.50
Due Wednesday, February 6: no. 1.62, 1.63, 1.65, 1.66, 1.67, 1.69, 1.70, 1.72, 1.78
Due Wednesday, February 13: no. 2.5, 2.6, 2.10, 2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 2.19
Due Wednesday, February 20: no. 2.21, 2.23, 2.24, 2.27, 2.31, 2.32
Due Wednesday, February 27: no. 2.34, 2.35, 2.36, 2.38, 2.41
Due Wednesday, March 6: no. 2.45, 2.46, 2.47, 2.49, 2.50, 2.51
Due Wednesday, March 13: no 2.56, 2.57, 2.58, 2.60, 2.62, 2.65, 2.69, 2.72
Due Friday, March 29: no 2.81, 2.82, 2.83, 2.84, 2.85, 2.86, 2.87
Due Wednesday, April 3: no. 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.8, 3.12, 3.14
Due Wednesday, April 10: no. 3.18, 3.19, 3.24, 3.25, 3.26, 3.30, 3.32, 3.33
Due Wednesday, April 17: no. 3.39, 3.40, 3.42, 3.45, 3.46, 3.47, 3.48, 3.49
Due Wednesday, April 24: no. 3.52, 3.53, 3.55, 3.56, 3.58, 3.72, 3.73
Due Wednesday, May 1: no. 3.75, 3.76, 3.77, 3.78, 3.79

Available course material:

How this course is graded.

There will be two one-hour midterm exams during the semester. Each of them counts a maximum of 100 points.
The 1-st midterm is currently scheduled for Monday, February 18. The 2-nd Midterm is currently scheduled for Monday, April 8.
The final exam counts a maximum of 200 points. The final exam will take place on Saturday, May 4, 8am-11am.
The homework will be collected on Wednesdays. Homework will be checked for completeness and several selected problems from each homework will be graded for correctness. Homework contributes a maximum of 90 points towards you final score. For the h/work assigned during a particular week the due date will be Wednesday of the following week. Late homework is generally not accepted!! At the end of the term two low h/work grades will be dropped.
There will be a quiz almost every Friday (except for the 1-st week and the weeks of the midterms). Quizzes contribute a maximum of 90 points towards the final score. At the end of the course your two lowest quiz grades are dropped. Make-up quizzes are administered provided you give me a compelling and convincing (to my satisfaction) explanation as to why you had to miss a regular quiz. Make-up quiz problems will be harder than the regular ones.
Your quiz and h/work totals will be re-scaled at the end of the course to contribute a maximum of 90 weighted points each. (So getting a 20 point score on the 1-st homework does not mean that you have already accumulated 2/9-th of the maximum.)
A modest number of "extra credit" points may be assigned for active class participation and for regular attendance.
Thus your final course score will be a maximum of 100+100+200+90+90=580 points. The final curve determining letter grade cut-off levels for the course will only be determined at the end of the term, but you should use the scale of the first midterm as a guide.
Although I expect you to regularly attend classes, non-attendance will not be penalized provided you do all the required course-work on time. HOWEVER, I take a very dim view of people coming in late or exiting the classroom early!!
For each of the midterm exams and for the final exam you are allowed to use: one two-sided 8''x11'' "cheat-sheet" of notes and formulas (two sheets for the final exam) AND a graphing calculator.
No textbooks or lecture notes are allowed on the exams.
The final exam will be cumulative and will include all the material covered during the course.
The final curve will be determined only at the end of the course.

The first midterm grades were assigned as follows:

Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

Range 96-100 92-95 90-91 86-89 82-85 80-81 74-79 70-73 64-69 60-63 54-59 50-53 0-49

The second midterm grades were assigned as follows:

Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

Range 92-100 86-91 82-85 78-81 73-77 68-72 63-67 55-62 50-54 46-49 40-45 35-39 0-34

The course grades were assigned as follows:

Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F

Range 540-580 509-539 493-508 475-492 457-474 435-456 406-434 382-405 349-381 324-348 300-323 285-299 0-284

Back to Ilya Kapovich's homepage

Grade	A+	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
Range	96-100	92-95	90-91	86-89	82-85	80-81	74-79	70-73	64-69	60-63	54-59	50-53	0-49

Grade	A+	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
Range	92-100	86-91	82-85	78-81	73-77	68-72	63-67	55-62	50-54	46-49	40-45	35-39	0-34

Grade	A+	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	D-	F
Range	540-580	509-539	493-508	475-492	457-474	435-456	406-434	382-405	349-381	324-348	300-323	285-299	0-284