Chapter Dependency Map
Chapter Contents
The following are the chapter's for the book with hyperlinks to the respective page on the online textbook. A summary of each chapter is also provided.
Preliminaries
Complex numbers
Modular arithmetic
Modular arithmetic, decimals, and divisibility
Sets. Basic set properties
Functions
Introduction to cryptography
Sigma Notation
Polynomials
Symmetries
Permutations
Introduction to Groups
Further topics in cryptography
Equivalence relations and equivalence classes
Cosets and Factor Groups
Error Detecting and Correcting Codes
Isomorphisms of Groups
Homomorphisms of Groups
Group Actions
Introduction to Rings
Appendix
A review of properties of integers, rationals, and reals, at the high school level. We only review the properties; we do not formally construct these number systems. Some remedial exercises are included. Used in: All other chapters.
Basic properties of complex arithmetic, polar form, exponentiation and roots. Some exercises require proofs of complex number properties. The last section presents applications to signal processing and fractals. Used in: Symmetries (10); all theory chapters
ℤnℤn is the gold-standard example for finite groups and rings. Arithmetic properties, Euclidean algorithm, Diophantine equations; We bring out homomorphism properties (without the terminology). Used in: all subsequent chapters
Application of modular arithmetic to decimal representation of real numbers (in arbitrary bases) and divisibility rules.
Can be skipped if students have an adequate background in discrete math. Used in: functions
Basic ideas of domain, range, into, onto, bijection. This chapter can be skipped if students have an adequate background. Used in: all subsequent chapters
Explains the concepts of public and private key cryptography, and describes some classic cyphers as well as RSA. Used in: Further topics in Cryptography (13)
This chapter prepares for the "polynomials" chapter. Sigma notation is useful in linear algebra as well. Can be skipped if students are already familiar with this notation. Used in: Polynomials (9)
Fundamental example of rings. Euclidean algorithm for polynomials over fields. FTOA, prove easy part and discuss the hard part. Will cover this again more rigorously in later chapter. Used in: Introduction to Groups (12), Introduction to Rings (20)
Symmetries are a special case of permutations. They are treated first because they are easily visualizable, and because they connect algebraic aspects to geometry as well as complex numbers. Used in: Permutations (11)
In light of Cayley's theorem, this example is key to the understanding of finite groups. Students are introduced to the mechanics of working with permutations, including cycle multiplication. Cycle structure is explored, as are even and odd permutations. Used in: Introduction to Groups (12)
This chapter introduced basic properties of groups, subgroups, and cyclic groups, drawing heavily on the examples presented in previous chapters. Used in: all subsequent chapters
Diffie-Hellman key exchange, elliptic curve cryptography over ℝ and over ℤp
This material is necessary for understanding cosets. This chapter may be skipped if students have seen them before. Used in: Cosets and Factor Groups (15)
Introductory properties, Lagrange's theorem, Fermat's Theorem, simple groups. Used in: all subsequent chapters.
A discussion of block codes. Some knowledge of linear algebra is required.
Examples and basic properties; direct products (internal and external); classification of abelian groups up to isomorphism. Used in: all subsequent chapters
Kernel of homomorphism; properties; first isomorphism theorem. Used in: all subsequent chapters
Besides basic definitions, this chapter contains a long discussion of group actions applied to regular polyhedral, as well as the universal covering space of the torus.
Includes definitions and examples; subrings and product rings; extending polynomial rings to fields; isomorphisms and homomorphisms; ideals; principal ideal domains; prime ideals and unique factorization domains; division rings; fields; algebraic extensions.
Induction Proofs-patterns and examples. Some proofs in the book require induction. This section gives the background needed for students to write formal induction proofs.