Combining a concrete perspective with an exploration-based approach, this analysis develops Galois theory at an entirely undergraduate level. The text grounds the presentation in the concept of algebraic numbers with complex approximations and only requires knowledge of a first course in abstract algebra. It introduces tools for hands-on experimentation with finite extensions of the rational numbers for readers with Maple or Mathematica. Please visit the author's website at: http://www.davidson.edu/academic/math/swallow/john.htm
Contents
1. Preliminaries; 2. Algebraic numbers, field extensions, and minimal polynomials; 3. Working with algebraic numbers, field extensions, and minimal polynomials; 4. Multiply-generated fields; 5. The Galois correspondence; 6. Some classical topics; Historical note.
Review
"...a beautiful and comprehensive expostition of the abstract theory is greatly enhanced by the computational aspects with the help of software." MAA Reviews, Alvaro Lozano-Robledo, Cornell University
Printer friendly version
Email a colleague