Customer Reviews

Schaum's Outline of Abstract Algebra (Schaum's Easy Outlines)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I think that most of schaum's series are out of date. In particular, Schaum's "abstract algebra" is not an exception. I bougut this book to prepare my course, Abstract Algebra 1. But this book was full of stuff which is not relevant to the subject. For example, it deals in matix and boolen algebra, which are excluded in most of Alstract Algebra courses in universities. And it doesn't contains stuff about Galois' Theory. Galois' theory can be called the aim to learn Abstract Algebra. I cannot help confessing that to read this book is to waste time. It would confuse you rather than help. You cannout build the outline of Abstract Algebra with this book. I think that it is becase this book was too old-fashioned.

I was not impressed with this book. The author appears to make quite a few errors, both in the definitions and in the examples, enough so that I could not be sure what was intended. I cannot recommend this as a tutorial in abstract algebra. However, the confusion did force me to think about the subject.

I read about 20 books on Abstract Algebra, but I still find this book excellent for Math students who have not been exposed to Abstract Math before. This book serves as a bridge from High-school 'computational' Math to the University Math which is based on abstract proof of Math structures.

I have not seen a similar excellent book on Abstract Algebra which could cover the vast topics in such systematic manner: from Set, Relation, N,Z,Q,R,C, building a solid foundation, before attacking the 'gems' in Group, Ring, Field, Polynomial, Matrices & Linear Algebra.

The selling point of this book is the 450 exercises at end of each chapter. Keeping the core definitions and theorems at each chapter while leaving the proofs later in the exercises, this allows the reader to browse thru' the topics quickly without being burderned by the nitty-gritty details of proof which would slow down the reading.

Granted, Galois Group is not covered in details. However, one has to compromise that the Galois Group is too advanced a topic to deserve another big volume to cover. The example given 'Gal C/R' explains, to my opinion, a clear view of what Galois Group is: Group of automorphism of functions, sub-field (or splitting field), etc. You can grasp what a Galois Group is in 1 single page, rather than reading a 100-page book but still have a faint idea of what 'Gal K/F' is?

My only comment is there are quite a few typo mistakes in Definitions, Theorem reference numbers, which are easily spotted if you understand the topics.

I sincerely hope there will be a 3rd edition of this book soon.

This book did not help me at all. It covers a tremendous amount of material. So the outlines are very thin. One has to know the material very well to read this book.
I would have liked to see a lot more detail for Groups, Rings, Fields and Modules, with a lot of worked out problems. And none of the Vector space, Lin Algebra, Matrix and Boolean Algebra stuff. In that way it would help undergrad abstract algebra students. The way this book is written, I can't see who the target audience is right now.

This book is full of wrong concepts, wrong definitions, misleading explanation, wrong proofs, ... A math book like this is a real shame! I have thrown this book to the garbage!
As it is possible that nobody has corrected this book before putting it in the sale?

~I usually gave books I bought not bad reviews. But this one, I hate to put it in this way, is full of wrong concept, unclear definition, misleading explanation, incomplete proof, ... A mathmactics book like this is a real shame!

The reason I did not give it one star was I like Schaum book's style: definition, then example, then exercise, then answer at the end (this one doesn't have).

In sum, you can't use this book for any purpose, except as one reviewer pointed out, the errors really~~ make you think about the concept. But before you can do that, you should already know some basic abstract algebra and have a logic mind.~

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The subject of "modern abstract algebra" is daunting! I was intimidated to launch into a study of the subject, and was referred to this Schaum's Outline by a professor, who advised me that it was the best introduction for me to consult. He was right! It is so clearly written and so "poetic" in its treatment of modern algebra, that it presents mathematics as a beautiful language of the pure forms and symmetries and logic in elegant simplicity! But it appears to me to be somewhat radical in its approach to the many different topics; suggesting in a brazen way, a synthetical cohesion say between groups and modules,and rings. At any rate, it is probably too adventurous for the general market - even for the few readers who would understand, let alone appreciate, the daring philosophical assertions the author makes - it will probably enjoy only a brief run....maybe to be celebrated later (as often great things are) as "visionary"! I'm glad I at least had the great fortune of seeing Mathematics from such a lofty height, because of this book!

The subject of "modern abstract algebra" is daunting! I was intimidated to launch into a study of the subject, and was referred to this Schaum's Outline by a professor, who advised me that it was the best introduction for me to consult. He was right! It is so clearly written and so "poetic" in its treatment of modern algebra, that it presents mathematics as a beautiful language of the pure forms and symmetries and logic in elegant simplicity! But it appears to me to be somewhat radical in its approach to the many different topics; suggesting in a brazen way, a synthetical cohesion say between groups and modules,and rings. At any rate, it is probably too adventurous for the general market - even for the few readers who would understand, let alone appreciate, the daring philosophical assertions the author makes - it will probably enjoy only a brief run....maybe to be celebrated later (as often great things are) as "visionary"! I'm glad I at least had the great fortune of seeing Mathematics from such a lofty height, because of this book!