North Carolina State University, Department of Mathematics
MA 403-001: Introduction to Modern Algebra, Spring 2011
Instructor: Eric Bancroft
Office: SAS Hall (Math/Stat Building), room 3219
Office hours: (To be announced). I am also available to meet after class most days, and by appointment (you
don’t need an appointment during regular office hours).
E-mail address: eric bancroft@ncsu.edu
Web page: http://www4.ncsu.edu/∼edbancro/. Grades will be posted on Moodle: http://moodle.wolfware.ncsu.edu
Class meeting time and location: T H 1:30-2:45 p.m. in SAS 2225
Textbook: A Concrete Introduction to Higher Algebra, 3rd edition, Lindsay N. Childs, Springer Undergraduate
Texts in Mathematics. An electronic version of this book is available for free through the NCSU library web site (offcampus you’ll need to log in using your Unity UserID): http://www2.lib.ncsu.edu/catalog/record/NCSU2225712
Prerequisites: MA 225 - Foundations of Advanced Mathematics.
Course Description: “Sets and mappings, equivalence relations, rings, integral domains, ordered integral domains,
ring of integers. Other topics selected from fields, polynomial rings, real and complex numbers, groups, permutation
groups, ideals, and quotient rings. Credit is not allowed for both MA 403 and MA 407.” There’s quite a bit of
flexibility allowed in this course regarding what we cover, so if there’s a topic in the book that interests you, let me
know in the first month or so of class and I’ll try to work it in.
Attendance: The university does not require a record of attendance for courses 300-level or greater, so attendance
will not be taken. If you miss a class, you are responsible for all material covered and getting any notes, homework
assignments, or announcements from a classmate. When you are in class, I expect you to be an active class
participant. This means not text-messaging, sleeping, doing other work, talking/socializing, reading the paper,
etc, during class. Any student who is not an active participant or who is otherwise being disruptive or disrespectful
may be asked to leave for the remainder of that class.
Grading: Final letter grades will assigned as follows:
You should not expect any rounding or curves!
A+ [98, 100],
A [92, 98),
A- [90, 92),
B+ [88, 90),
B [82, 88),
B- [80, 82),
C+ [78, 80),
C [72, 78),
C- [70, 72),
D+ [68, 70),
D [62, 68), D- [60, 62),
F [0, 60)
The final grade score is determined as follows:
35% Homework: Homework is intended to give you practice solving problems and applying concepts discussed
in class. There will be a mix of theoretical/proof-type and computational problems in the homework, but problems
you turn in will emphasize proofs and theoretical concepts. Assignments will be posted on the web page and may
also be announced in class. All homework is due at the end of class on the day indicated in the assignment unless
I say otherwise. Unless you have a documented emergency absence, homework submitted up to 24 hours late
will be subject to a 15% penalty and homework will not be accepted more than 24 hours late.
LATEX and Homework: As an incentive to encourage you to learn the mathematics typesetting system LATEX, if
you use LATEX to typeset your entire submission then you may work in pairs and turn in a single set of homework
solutions; additionally, pairs will also be given the opportunity to correct any mistakes in their homework and
resubmit the corrected homework for a final grade. Both members of the team must contribute equally to solutions
and the type-setting. If you submit a TEX’ed assignment at any point in the semester, then sometime before the
end of the semester you must pass a basic, informal LATEX test (so I know that everyone who turned a TEX’ed
assignment has a rough idea of how to use LATEX). If you don’t take or pass this test, then there will be a 15%
penalty on any TEX’ed homework assignments for both people in the pair.
MA 403-001 syllabus, page 1
15% Group Project: There will be a group project consisting of an in-class presentation and written assignment,
due at the end of the semester. Presentations will be given the last week or so of class. Groups and topics/problems
must be chosen no later than one month before presentations begin. Details will be discussed in class.
50% Third-Terms and Final: There will be two “third-term” exams (at approximately the 13 and 23 points of the
semester), and a comprehensive final exam. The exam grades will be weighted as follows: the highest is 22.5%
of your overall grade, the lowest is 10%, and the other is 17.5%. No exams will be dropped! There will be a
mix of theoretical/proof-type and computational problems on the exams, with a greater emphasis on computational
problems. Calculators or other electronic devices will not be allowed on exams. If you have questions concerning
the grading or recording of an exam then you must let me know no later than the second class after I give them
back.
The dates of the third-terms will be announced in class at least one week beforehand. The final exam is on
Thursday, May 5th , from 1-4 p.m. This date is set by the department and will not change. As per math
department policy, no student may take the final early!
Make-up Exam Policy: Anticipated exam absences must be brought to my attention in advance of the
exam date. These include: NCSU duties or trips (certified by an appropriate faculty or staff member), required
court attendance (certified by the Clerk of the Court), religious observances (verified by the Student Organization
Resource Center: 1202 Talley Student Center, 919.515.3323), required military duty (certified by the student’s
commanding officer).
Emergency exam absences must be reported to me as soon as possible, but not more than two days after the
return to class. Examples of emergency absences are: illness or injury (certified by an attending physician), death
or serious illnesses in the family (documented appropriately), being involved in a car accident on the way to class
(certified by law enforcement official).
Make-up exams for excused absences will be of the same length and degree of difficulty as the in-class exam.
Make-ups for oversleeping, car trouble, or any other excuse not approved by the university: If you
miss an exam and do not have an approved excuse, you must contact me and schedule to take the make-up
exam within 24 hours of the end class on the day the exam was given. Otherwise, you will receive a score of
zero for the missed exam. Make-up exams for unexcused absences may be more difficult than the in-class exam.
No unexcused make-ups will be given for the final exam!
If you miss a make-up and do not have a university approved reason for doing so, then you will
receive a score of zero for the exam you missed.
Cheating: Cheating in any form is completely unacceptable, and will be dealt with without leniency. You should
read the cheating page which is linked on the class web page and may also be found at
http://www4.ncsu.edu/∼edbancro/teaching/cheating.html
By turning in homework, an exam, or any other assignment, you are agreeing to abide by NCSU’s Code of Student
Conduct (POL 11.35.1, in particular, sections 8-11), which can be viewed at
http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student services/student discipline/POL11.35.1.php
It is your responsibility be certain about what is or isn’t allowed on an assignment before working on it or turning
it in, and to ask me if you need clarification.
Students With Disabilities: Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities.
In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with the Disability Services Office
at 2751 Cates Avenue, Third Floor - First Year College Commons, Campus Box 7509, 919-515-7653 (TTY: 919515-8830). For more information on NC State’s policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the
Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.1).
MA 403-001 syllabus, page 2