TITLE: Honors Modern Algeba CREDIT HOURS: 3
CLASS TIME and ROOM: TR 9:30am-10:50am, HC 115
TEXT: Abstract Algebra Website: Abstract Algebta: Theory and its Applications
PROFESSOR: Dr. Warren Wm. McGovern
OFFICE & PHONE: HC 101 & 6-8028 (easier to contact me via email)
E-mail: warren.mcgovern@fau.edu ; http://home.fau.edu/wmcgove1/web/
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays 9:00am-9:28am and 1:00-3:00pm, Thursdays 9:00am-9:28am and 1:00-3:00pm, Fridays 11:00am-12:00pm except when faculty meeting
PREREQUISITES: MAS 2103 or permission by instructor
CONTENT: Elementary number theory. Groups, rings and ideals, polynomials, and fields.
This is the first semester of a two semester sequence in Modern Algebra. We will spend most of our time working on groups and a little bit of rings.
CLASS STRUCTURE: The class will be run mostly in a lecture style format. The instructor always encourages discussions and questions concerning the material. Some days will be used for collaborative efforts. A detailed list of HW problems will be kept on on my webpage. Though the homework will only occassionally be collected and graded, the student is expected to do all the problems as this will aid in the student's understanding of the material. Please feel free to come to office hours if you have additional questions about the homework.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Regular attendance is expected. The student should be aware that missing one day of class is equivalent to missing a week's worth of class relative to a fall/spring semester. If a student misses a class meeting it is his/her responsibility to obtain the class notes either from another student or from the instructor during regularly scheduled office hours. However, the latter usually means the student will be given the sections that were covered. If a student has 4 unexcused absences, the instructor has the right to drop the student's course grade by one letter grade. If a student misses 6 classes, the instructor has the right to drop the student's course grade by two letter grades, etc. All tests will be taken as scheduled, unless prior arrangements are made, with at least 48 hours of advance notice. I, and only I, have the right to agree to giving a makeup test.
HOMEWORK: There is a link on the webpage for the list of HW problems. At the beginning of the semester each student will be assigned a card (e.g. King of hearts). At the beginning of almost every class I will be randomly selecting 3-5 cards and will collect HW from those 3-5 students. The HW will be collected, graded, and returned. Sometimes HW will simply be checked for completion.
EXAM SCHEDULE: The two tests and final exam will take place during the regurlarly scheduled class time on the following dates unless otherwise noted.
| Date | Day | Event |
|---|---|---|
| October 3rd | Thursday | Mid-Term |
| December 5th | Thursday, 7:45am-10:15am | Final Exam |
EVALUATION: Throughout the course the student will have opportunities to gain and lose points; losing means a student might earn negative points.
The most common examples of gaining points (but not limited to) are through the homeworks, quizzes, three tests, extra-credit problems, class participation and attendance, and a final exam. The most common examples of losing points (but not limited to) are not taking a quiz or test, not turning in a project, poor class participation, or an unsatisfactory attendance record.
At the end of the semester if the student's (net) point total is greater than or equal to 90% of the total possible number
of points, then the student will have earned an A. The rest of the grades are as follows 80%-90% B, 70%-80% C, 60%-70%
D, below 60% F.
For a general sense of the course (this is an approximation): the mid-term will be worth 30%, the final exam 45%, attendance and participation 5%, quizzes 10%, HW 10%. However, this assumes that the student has attempted all of the HW assignments. The percentage for HW is variable depending on how much a student does. If a student has a poor HW record, then HW will be worth up to 20%, with the other percentages dropped appropriately. The same goes for a student's attendance record.
The official gradebook will be kept by the instructor. Canvas will not be used for offical grade-keeping.
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), students who require reasonable accommodations due to a disability to properly execute coursework must register with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) and follow all SAS procedures. SAS has offices across three of FAU’s campuses -- Boca Raton, SU 131 (561-297-3880); in Davie, LA 131 (954-236-1222); in Jupiter and all Northern Campuses, SR 111F (561-799-8585). Disability services are available for students on all campuses. For more information, please visit SAS website at http://www.fau.edu/sas/.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Center: Life as a university student can be challenging physically, mentally and emotionally. Students who find stress negatively affecting their ability to achieve academic or personal goals may wish to consider utilizing FAU’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Center. CAPS provides FAU students a range of services – individual counseling, support meetings, and psychiatric services, to name a few – offered to help improve and maintain emotional well-being. For more information, go to http://www.fau.edu/counseling/
CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY STATEMENT: Students at Florida Atlantic University are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards. Academic dishonesty is considered a serious breach of these ethical standards, because it interferes with the university mission to provide a high quality education in which no student enjoys an unfair advantage over any other. Academic dishonesty is also destructive of the university community, which is grounded in a system of mutual trust and places high value on personal integrity and individual responsibility. Harsh penalties are associated with academic dishonesty. For more information, see University Regulation 4.001 and the WHC Academic Honor Code at http://www.fau.edu/honors/academics/honor-code.php.
Collaboration and the Honor Code: You are expected to adhere to the Honor Code (see HC Honor Code and FAU Honor Code).
DISCLAIMER: The instructor reserves the right to change/alter/add/delete any statement from this syllabus in hopes of creating a more enjoyable/equitable course.