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Math 8174: Topics in Algebra, Spring 2010


Syllabus


Course description: 
This course will be an introduction to homological algebra. We will study categories and functors, abelian categories, chain complexes, derived functors, Tor and Ext, homological dimension, group homology and cohomology, and spectral sequences.

Prerequisites:
MATH 6130, 6140.

Text: 
An Introduction to Homological Algebra, by Charles Weibel (1995).

Other Fine Books on the Subject: 
  ♦ Homological Algebra, by Cartan and Eilenberg (1956).
  ♦ Homology, by MacLane (1963).
  ♦ A Course in Homological Algebra, by Hilton and Stammbach, (1971). (2nd ed. (1997).)
  ♦ An Introduction to Homological Algebra, by Rotman (1979). (2nd ed. (2009).)

Books on Related Topics: 
  ♦ Abstract Algebra (Chapters 10 and 17), by Dummit and Foote.
  ♦ Categories for the Working Mathematician, by MacLane (1971). (2nd ed. (1998).)
  ♦ Abelian Categories, by Freyd, (1964).

Homework: 
If you are enrolled for a grade I will ask you to solve some problems. You will be asked to work on the problems in small groups of 2-3. Different groups will be assigned different problems. You will typically have a week for your group to solve its assigned problem(s) and submit the solution(s). (This deadline is not strict. but I'll check in with you if I don't get solutions within a couple days of the due date.)

If you are solving Problem M of HW N, please submit the solution as a PDF file called homNpM.pdf. After receiving your solution I will correspond with you about improvements and corrections, if I can think of any. (This step in the process should take at most one week.) You are not obligated to take any of my advice, but if one of my comments involves a correction, then you should correct that part in some way. (For example, if I say "Here is a shorter way to do it", you don't have to change anything unless you want to. If I say "The first displayed equation is wrong. Here is how to fix it …", then you should fix the error, not necessarily along the lines of my suggestion.)

New assignments will be posted every other week starting the second week. Solutions to old assignments will be posted when they are in final form. You should read your classmates' solutions.