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MAT301H1F: Groups & Symmetries Syllabus

syllabus of groups

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
26 views4 pages

MAT301H1F: Groups & Symmetries Syllabus

syllabus of groups

Uploaded by

harshsharma99623
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MAT301H1F: Groups and Symmetries

Fall 2025
University of Toronto
Tentative Syllabus
—————————————————————————————

1 Instruction Team
Course Instructors
Section Instructor Email Office hours
10:00am-12:15pm Mondays
LEC0101 Benjamin Gammage [Link]@[Link]
in HU 232
Time TBA
LEC0201 Nick Rozenblyum [Link]@[Link]
in BA 6110
(Note for section LEC0101: My office HU 232 is a bit hard to find. Enter 215 Huron at
the main Huron street entrance, go up the stairs and follow the signs for “Financial Services”
into the Financial Services area on the second floor. This is currently a disused cubicle space,
but against the back wall on the right is my office, #232; it’s the one that says “Anthony
Tia” on the door name plate. Alternatively, since my office hours begin just after class, you
can also just follow me there. —BG)

Teaching Asistants
• Jiawei Chen, [Link]@[Link]

• Giacomo Bertizzolo, [Link]@[Link]

• Yuxuan Sun, [Link]@[Link]

• Sin Hang Jason Yeung, [Link]@[Link]

• Gal Gross, [Link]@[Link]

• Mohammadmahdi Rafiei, [Link]@[Link]

• Grayson Plumpton, [Link]@[Link]

2 Course Overview
Course Description
Congruences. Permutations and permutation groups. Linear groups. Abstract groups, ho-
momorphisms, subgroups. Symmetry groups of regular polygons. Cosets, Lagrange theorem.
Normal subgroups, quotient groups. Classification of finite abelian groups, Platonic solids.
Emphasis on examples and calculations.

1
Prerequisites
MAT257Y1/ ( MAT224H1/ MAT247H1, MAT235Y1/ MAT237Y1, MAT246H1/ MAT157Y1/
( MAT157H5, MAT159H5)/ MAT157Y5/ CSC236H1/ CSC240H1)/ (MAT185H1, MAT194H1,
MAT195H1)

Course Objectives
At the end of this course, you should have a basic understanding of the theory of groups, which
formalizes mathematically the concept of symmetry. You will understand how to manipulate
and perform calculations in groups, and you will understand the basic structural theorems
about groups, together with their proofs and applications.

2.1 Course Materials and textbooks


Primary textbook: Joseph Gallian, Contemporary Abstract Algebra, 9th edition.

How this course is organized:


This course will consist of 3 hour lecture and a tutorial per week. We will use Crowdmark for
assignment submissions and Quercus for organization.

3 Evaluation
3.1 Mark breakdown
• Assignments 30%

• Midterm 30%

• Final exam 40%

3.2 Assignments
There will be 10 assignments, due on Fridays at 11:59 p.m unless otherwise specified, with the
first assignment due on Friday 12 September. No assignment will be due on 10 October (the
week of the midterm) or 31 October (Fall break week). The three lowest assignment grades
will be dropped. As a result, late work will not be accepted under any circumstances.

3.3 Exams
There will be one midterm exam and a final exam. Both exams are in-person. The midterm is
scheduled to take place at 6:00pm on October 9. The final exam will be will be held during
the final assessment period in December and will be scheduled by the registrar. Information
about the format will be provided during the semester.

2
4 Course Policies
4.1 Policy on Assignments
• All submitted work must be your own: you may work together with others on problems,
but you may not copy answers, either from other students or from queries to search or
other software programs. Points may be deducted from work found to have been copied.

• As stated above, late work will not be accepted under any circumstances. Please do not
email with requests to accept late homeworks.

• If you believe a mistake has been made in grading an assignment, you can ask for a
regrading request to the grader in the 2 weeks after the grade is posted.

4.2 Policy on missed term work


Students who are absent from class for prolonged periods and who require consideration for
missed academic work should contact the instructor and verify their absence(s) through either
the Absence Declaration tool, Verification of Illness or Injury (VOI) form, College Registrar
Letter, or Letter of Academic Accommodation from Accessibility Services, as appropriate to
their situation. [Link]
The absence declaration can be used once per term. Outside of the one time absence
declaration use, students must adhere to the alternate processes for absences listed above, as
well as the missed work policy as set out in each course’s syllabus.
If you miss an exam, then you must inform your course Instructor within 72 hours of the
test. No exceptions. If your request is approved, you may receive an accommodation. The
accommodation to be used will be decided by your instructor. Some examples of accommoda-
tions may include: an oral exam, written make-up test, or a re-weighting of your assessments.
(Academic Handbook Section 7 Missed Term Work or Tests)

4.3 Email Policy


Should you have a question that is not answered on the course site (please check there first!)
please note that all communications with the Course Instructor or TA’s must be sent from
your official utoronto email address, with the course number included in the subject line. If
these instructions are not followed, your email may not be responded to.

5 Institutional Policies and Support


5.1 Academic Integrity
All suspected cases of academic dishonesty will be investigated following procedures outlined
in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters
([Link]
july-1-2019). If you have questions or concerns about what constitutes appropriate academic
behaviour or appropriate research and citation methods, please reach out to your Course In-
structor. Note that you are expected to seek out additional information on academic integrity

3
from me or from other institutional resources (for example, the University of Toronto website
on Academic Integrity [Link]

5.2 Accessibility
The University provides academic accommodations for students with disabilities in accor-
dance with the terms of the Ontario Human Rights Code. This occurs through a collab-
orative process that acknowledges a collective obligation to develop an accessible learning
environment that both meets the needs of students and preserves the essential academic re-
quirements of the University’s courses and programs. Students with diverse learning styles
and needs are welcome in this course. If you have a disability that may require accommo-
dations, please feel free to approach your Course Instructor and/or the Accessibility Services
office as soon as possible. The sooner you let us know your needs the quicker we can assist
you inachieving your learning goals in this course. Link to Accessibility Services website:
[Link]

5.3 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion


The University of Toronto is committed to equity, human rights and respect for diversity. All
members of the learning environment in this course should strive to create an atmosphere
of mutual respect where all members of our community can express themselves, engage with
each other, and respect one another’s differences. U of T does not condone discrimination or
harassment against any persons or communities.

5.4 Important Academic Dates and Deadlines


The academic dates include enrolment dates, drop deadlines, exam periods, petition deadlines
and more can be found in:
[Link]

5.5 Other Academic and Personal Supports


• Writing Centre [Link]

• U of T Libraries [Link]

• Student Code of Conduct: [Link]


student-conduct-december-13-2019

• Feeling Distressed? [Link]

• Academic Success Centre [Link]

• College/Faculty Registrars [Link]

Common questions

Powered by AI

The classification of finite abelian groups is crucial in understanding symmetry because it provides a structured way to analyze and categorize groups based on their order and operations. This insight helps in exploring the symmetry properties of mathematical objects by simplifying complex group structures into direct products of cyclic groups, facilitating calculations and deeper understanding, as taught in MAT301H1F .

Academic integrity in MAT301H1F is maintained through strict policies against plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration. Resources such as the University of Toronto's Academic Integrity guidelines and consultations with course instructors provide students with information on appropriate academic conduct, reinforcing the importance of honest scholarship .

Lagrange's theorem implies that the order (number of elements) of any subgroup of a symmetry group is a divisor of the order of the group itself. In symmetry groups relevant to MAT301H1F, such as those of regular polygons, this allows for determining possible subgroup structures and understanding how symmetrical transformations can be decomposed into simpler, constitutive parts .

Joseph Gallian's 'Contemporary Abstract Algebra' is significant for MAT301H1F due to its comprehensive coverage of abstract algebraic concepts. Known for clarity and practical examples, it supports the course’s focus on symmetry and group calculations, providing students with a solid foundation and understanding of abstract concepts through illustrative problems .

Assignments in MAT301H1F are designed to reinforce lecture material, emphasizing hands-on manipulation and calculations within groups. They prompt students to apply theoretical concepts practically, fostering deeper comprehension of topics such as congruences, permutations, and symmetry groups. The course's policy to drop the three lowest assignment grades underscores the focus on consistency and comprehensive learning over penalizing individual errors .

The theory of groups formalizes the mathematical concept of symmetry by exploring symmetries as elements of a group, particularly symmetry groups of objects like regular polygons and Platonic solids. In MAT301H1F, students learn to manipulate and perform calculations in groups and understand basic structural theorems about groups, which provide the foundation for analyzing symmetrical properties of mathematical objects .

Normal subgroups play a key role in MAT301H1F by facilitating the formation of quotient groups, which are essential for understanding advanced structures within group theory. Studying quotient groups allows students to simplify complex group dynamics, analyze factor groups, and explore the properties and symmetries that emerge from these constructions .

Office hours in MAT301H1F are structured to directly follow lectures, allowing for immediate student engagement with complex topics. This timing facilitates addressing questions on course material, providing personalized guidance and clarification on group theory concepts, which supports deeper student comprehension .

The emphasis on examples and calculations in MAT301H1F is crucial for deepening students' understanding of abstract group theoretical concepts. Practical application through examples allows students to concretize theoretical knowledge, facilitating mastery of complex ideas such as homomorphisms and symmetry groups, thereby bridging theory and practice effectively .

For missed exams in MAT301H1F, students must inform the instructor within 72 hours of the exam. Upon approval of the absence, potential accommodations include an oral exam, written make-up test, or re-weighting of assessments. These options ensure fairness while maintaining academic integrity and alignment with the course's learning objectives .

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