Elements of Abstract Algebra (Dover Books on Mathematics) [Paperback]

Allan Clark (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0486647250 | ISBN-13: 978-0486647258 | Publication Date: October 1, 1984

Helpful illustrations and exercises included throughout this lucid coverage of group theory, Galois theory and classical ideal theory stressing proof of important theorems. Includes many historical notes. Mathematical proof is emphasized. Includes 24 tables and figures. Reprint of the 1971 edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (October 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486647250
• ISBN-13: 978-0486647258
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very good book., July 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Elements of Abstract Algebra (Dover Books on Mathematics) (Paperback)

This is a book whose level is between an undergraduate (e.g. Herstein) and a graduate algebra book (e.g. Hungerford,Jacobson). I am a graduate student and I used it for a quick review and i really liked it. It is a little book of 200 pages. One interesting feature is that it first covers field & Galois theory and then ring theory.

Contents (w.o. subsections):
1. Set Theory
2. Group Theory
3. Field Theory
4. Galois Theory
5. Ring Theory
6. Classical Ideal Theory.

One thing I also liked is that the exercised are scattered throughout the text rather then collected at the chapter ends. You read something and immediately work on a couple (or more) of questions. You understand at the spot rather than waiting the chapter end.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The correct way to learn algebra is via exercises, August 13, 2001

By 

David B. Massey (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elements of Abstract Algebra (Dover Books on Mathematics) (Paperback)

I used the previous version of this book while I was a mathematics graduate student at Duke University in 1982. I have never seen a better book for LEARNING field and Galois theory; however, this book is not intended as a reference source. The exercises lead one incrementally through the theory, and this is certainly the best way to learn abstract algebra. I lost my copy of the previous version, but have replaced it with the new one - to have a copy to lend to my own graduate students who want to learn this material.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Algebra Workbooks in Existence, October 16, 2001

By 

George E. Hrabovsky (Madison, Wisconsin United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elements of Abstract Algebra (Dover Books on Mathematics) (Paperback)

This book is certainly not for everyone. If you prefer a book where you are held by the hand through the material, where you are fed the interpretation, and where all of the work is done for you then do not buy this book. This book is for people who not only want to memorize facts about algebra, but also want to learn to do algebra. The only way to learn to do algebra (or anything else for that matter) is to do it. For example, the first section is (reasonably enough) on sets and has nine subsections. Within these nine sections you are expected to perform nine tasks. This is done in three and a half pages. The section on symmetric groups has ten sections and eighteen tasks in eight pages. This averages to a fraction more than three tasks per page for a 196 page book. This is a lot of problems to work through! It is not so many that the task is impossible in a reasonable period of time. Will you solve every problem the first time? No. Many of these are quite challenging. If you at least study each problem and spend at least five minutes trying to understand it, by the time you are done with the book you will have a good understanding of abstract algebra, and you will be prepared to grapple with more elegant treatments of the subject.