Undergraduate Course: Honours Algebra (MATH10069)
Course Outline
| School | School of Mathematics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This is a core course for Honours Degrees involving Mathematics. It showcases the power of abstraction and brings together several different topics that you have already learned, in order to present a view on some of the more advanced algebra that is critical for later courses and also in application, as well as of interest in its own right.
There are 3 lectures a week as well as a workshop; there are also 2-hour computer lab sessions in alternate weeks. |
| Course description |
"One great power of mathematics is abstraction. Here abstraction is the distillation of a mathematical idea to its essence - in the case of linear algebra, understanding what unifies points, lines and planes, and so on. This turns out to be very useful. Why? Well two apparently different ideas can turn out to have the same underlying structure, and then insight you get from one can reveal the other.. Think of a dictionary, allowing you to translate the masterpieces of one language into another. [Of course, you still need to work hard to make a good translation.] Second, it is often easier to understand general structure than it is to understand specific examples. Many mathematicians think ""if you can't answer a particular question, generalise it - it might become easier!"". This course is about showcasing this, as well as giving you a solid base for more advanced topics in Year 4 and beyond. It also emphasises connections with other parts of mathematics, and will feature applications of the theory to problems, sometimes even beyond mathematics.
The syllabus first covers abstract vector spaces and linear transformations. It then introduces rings and modules, their quotients, and the first isomorphism theorem. The multilinear algebra of determinants is studied, together with eigenvectors and eigenvalues, culminating in the Cayley-Hamilton theorem and the Perron Frobenius Theorem. This is followed by an introduction to inner product spaces and the Spectral Theorem. The course then moves on to normal forms for linear transformations and particularly the Jordan Normal Form.
Throughout the course, we will also work with a computer algebra system (e.g. Maple) to learn about programming skills and data structures which are useful in Pure Mathematics and beyond. In lab sessions, we will use these skills to investigate topics that are relevant to the theory being developed in lectures and workshops. Students will also carry out a group project which will require some computer algebra work and a short group presentation.
Linear Algebra
1. Basic concepts in abstract linear algebra, abstract vector spaces, bases, linear maps, dimension, images and kernels.
2. Linear transformations, choice of basis, Smith normal form.
Rings and Modules
1. Basic definitions and examples of rings, homomorphisms, kernels, images.
2. Polynomials, their Euclidean algorithm, roots and algebraically closed fields.
3. Basic definitions and examples of modules, homomorphisms, kernels, images.
4. Quotient rings, modules and vector spaces; the first isomorphism theorem.
Determinants and Eigenvalues
1. Multilinear forms; characterisations of determinant.
2. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors; diagonalisable and triangularisable linear mappings; Cayley-Hamilton Theorem.
3. Perron-Frobenius Theorem and applications.
Inner Product Spaces and Quadratic Forms
1. Basic definitions and examples of inner product spaces.
2. Orthogonal projection; Gram-Schmidt;
3. Quadratic Forms; Sylvester's Law of Inertia;
4. Adjoints of linear transformations; spectral theorem for finite dimensional inner product spaces.
Jordan Normal Form
1. The Jordan Normal Form.
2. Applications of the Jordan Normal Form.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Fundamentals of Pure Mathematics (MATH08064)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students must not have taken :
MATH10021 Algebra |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV2)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 35,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10,
Summative Assessment Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
138 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework 20%, Examination 80% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Honours Algebra (MATH10069) | 3:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Work/compute with the objects introduced in the class (abstract vector spaces, rings, modules), the notions associated to the maps (linear transformations/homomorphism) between them (kernel, images, determinants), constructions with them (quotients), and forms on vector spaces (inner products, quadratic forms).
- State and prove the results covered in the course, especially the first isomorphism theorem, properties of the determinant, properties of eigenvalues, the spectral theorem.
- Apply these results to examples that have not been covered in class and to calculate with the Jordan Canonical Form.
- Write and test short procedures to carry out calculations in abstract algebra using a computer algebra system.
- Work collaboratively to investigate an application of abstract algebra using a computer algebra system, and deliver a presentation on the topic to an audience of peers.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | HAlg |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Iain Gordon
Tel: (0131 6)50 5062
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Thomas Robinson
Tel: (0131 6)50 4885
Email: |
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