Instructor: Prof. Ilya Kapovich
Spring 2009 ; MATH 417 Section B13
MWF
9am; Altgeld Hall 445
http://www.math.uiuc.edu/~kapovich/417-09/417-09.html
The
final exam has been graded and
the results have been posted via score reports. The high score was
200/200 and the low score was 87/200. The median score was 157/200 and
the average score was 153.4/200, with the standard deviation of
17.3%. I have also assigned the final course letter grades and
you should be able to see your course grades in the Score Reports as
well. Please see the bottom of this page for an explanation of
how this course was graded. Note that the quiz scores were re-scaled to a maximal
total of 75 points when the course point totals were computed. The
letter grade cut-off levels for the course were as follows:| Grade |
A+ |
A |
A- |
B+ |
B |
B- |
C+ |
C |
C- |
D+ |
D |
D- |
F |
| Range |
548-575 |
522-547 |
495-521 |
475-494 |
455-474 |
435-454 |
405-434 |
374-404 |
344-373 |
315-343 |
285-314 |
256-284 |
0-255 |
Out of 21 students, there were 7 grades in the A range, 7 grades in the B range, 4 grades in the C range and 3 grades in the D range for the course.
The
extra credit problem scores have been added to your 2-nd midterm
scores. Thus the extra credit problem assignments no longer show as
separate items in the Score Reports.
Please check the
record of your h/wk, quiz and midterm scores in the Score Reports for
correctness and completeness. All outstanding
issues regarding these
scores must be settled before the date of the final exam. The
final exam will take place on Thursday, May 14, 8am-11am in our regular
classroom, AH 445. The final exam will be cumulative and will cover the
material from the following chapters: Ch 1.2-1.4, 2.1-2.6, 2.8-2.10,
3.1-3.4, 4.1-4.2, 8.3-8.4. For Ch 4.1-4.2, 8.3-8.4 you should pay particularly close attention to the lecture notes since what was covered in class differs somewhat from the content of these chapters. The exam will concentrate on the material that was explicitly covered in class and in the assigned h/wk problems. You are allowed to use two 8''x11'' sheets of notes (two-sides if needed) during the final exam. You are also allowed to use a calculator, although one most likely will not be needed.
The second midterm has been
graded and the results have been posted in ScoreReports. Solutions for the second midterm are
available below. The average score was 56.3/100 and the median sscore
was 55. The high score was 88/100 and the low score was 6/100. While I
did not assign formal letter grades for the exam, you can approximately
interpret the second midterm scores as follows: A: 85-100; B: 70-84; C:
50-69; D: 35-49; F: 0-34. If your second midterm was in the 0-34 range,
you should seriously consider the possibility of dropping the course
(see a note about the extended drop date for this course below). Also,
everyone is welcome talk to me about your standing in the course. Starting with the week of March 16, I am
extending
my office hours on Tuesdays by half an hour, to run from 9:30am to
11:30am. The Thursdays office hours will still be 10am to 11:30am. The first midterm has been graded an
the results have been posted via Score Reports. Solutions
for the exam are also posted below. I will discuss in class on Monday
how to interpret your scores (I do not assign formal letter grades for
the midterms). Some statistics: the average score was 85.5/100 , with
standard deviation of 12.5%; the median score was 86/100.
The drop deadline for this course for LAS and
Engineering students is extended to April 17, 2009. See a more detailed
announcement here.
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).
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:
Nicholson, Introduction to Abstract Algebra (3d
edition)
My
office hours are Tuesday 9:30am-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 Altgeld Hall, room 365.
The FINAL EXAM for this course is
scheduled for 8:00-11:00
am, Thursday, May 14 in our usual
classroom. Please make sure now
that this time is acceptable for you. 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.
Telephone:
265-0633
e-mail: kapovich@math.uiuc.edu. (Preferred
method of reaching me!)
Office location: Altgeld Hall, room 365
Office hours: Tue
9:30am-11:30am, Th 10am-11:30am,
or by appointment
Grader: Alexander Block, ajblock3@illinois.edu
Homework assignments:
Approximate Syllabus:
(a) The
Integers.
Division algorithm. Greatest common divisor. Fundamental theorem of
arithmetic. Congruence arithmetic; application to
RSA-cryptosystem.
(b)
Permutations.
Cycle decomposition. Order of a permutation. Even and odd
permutations.
(c)
Group Theory.
Definition and examples. Subgroups, cosets and Lagrange's theorem.
Normal subgroups
and quotient groups. Homomorphisms. The Isomorphism Theorems.
(d)
Group Actions.
Cayley's theorem. Burnside's theorem. Conjugacy classes and
centralizers. Applications
of group actions, eg. to Sylow's theorem or Polya counting.
(e)
Ring Theory:
Definition and examples. Polynomial rings. Subrings, ideals and
quotient rings. Homomorphisms of rings. The Isomorphism Theorems for
rings. Integral domains and fields.
Division algorithm for polynomial rings over a field. Roots of
polynomials and the Remainder Theorem. The Fundamental Theorem of
Algebra (without proof). Maximal ideals in
polynomial rings over fields, with application to the construction of
fields.
Available course material:
How this course is graded.