MATH 101/E101: SETS, GROUPS AND TOPOLOGY

Math 101/E101: The goal of this course is to introduce you to abstract mathematical
thought, through a consideration of several topics sets, metric spaces, finite groups and
a little bit of topology. I will stress the unity of areas of mathematics that include
algebra, geometry, analysis and topology. If you are currently enrolled in Math 21 or
even Math 1b, and are thinking about concentrating in mathematics, you should consider
taking this course. It will help to prepare you for the language and rigor of our other math
courses at the 100 level. A rough syllabus is provided below.
My contact information:
Cliff Taubes
Science Center room 504
617-495-5579

chtaubes@math.harvard.edu.

My scheduled office hours during the semester will be posted to the course website when
the semester starts. In any event, send me an email to schedule a chat if you cant make
these office hours. Also, drop in at other times; if my office door is even slightly open,
then I am in the room so just knock loudly.
The course website: The website for the course is
https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/9966
All homework assignments, announcements, handouts and information about the course
writing projects will be posted at this website during the term. You should check this
website the day before each class meeting.
Those of you enrolled through Math E101: Take note that this is not the Math
E101 website. You will need your Harvard ID number to access this site. I wont be
using the Math E101 website once the term begins.
Required text books: There are two required text books for this course, these being
a) The real numbers. An introduction to set theory and analysis by John Stillwell
(Springer undergraduate texts in Mathematics)
b) A book of abstract algebra, by Charles C. Pinter (Dover 2010 edition).
Stillwells book can be downloaded for free from the following website if you have a
Harvard ID number:
http://link.springer.com.ezp-prod1.hul.harvard.edu/book/10.1007/978-3-319-01577-4
(If you dont yet have a Harvard ID number, contact me to get a free copy.) Pinters
book is available at the Harvard Coop (and directly from Dover Press at

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486474178.html.)
Supplemental lecture notes by me to will be supplied if needed.
Course meeting times: The course will meet twice per week, Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 11:30-1pm, with another hour to be scheduled to discuss the homework problems
and other topics of concern. This extra hours meeting will be run by our course
assistant. The course assistant will also schedule a weekly office hour.
The course meets in Room 507 of the Science Center at Harvard.
Homework: There will be a homework assignment each week, which will be due on the
Thursday of the subsequent week. Collaboration on homework is encouraged, but the
final write up should be your own. Late homework is accepted only with my approval.
Email me to ask. All homework assignments will be posted to the course website on
Sundays during the term. The solutions to the homework assignments will also be posted
to the website.
Grading: The final grade in the course will be based on the homework grades (30%), a
midterm take-home writing project/exam (30%) and a final take-home writing project/
exam (40%). The instructions for the midterm take-home will be posted to the course
website on Sunday, March 6 and due (in electronic form) on Tuesday, March 22. The
take-home final instructions will be posted to the course website on Sunday, April 24 and
it will be due on May 4.
Syllabus: I hope to first cover Chapters 1-5 in Stillwells book, and maybe other parts
also. These chapters of Stillwells book constitute a thorough introduction to both
analysis and point set topology; and I will be teaching these topics intertwined. The
material in Stillwells book occupy (roughly) the first six or seven weeks of the course.
The plan for the second half of the course is to cover Chapters 1-16 in Pinters book.
These chapters in Pinters book constitute a very nice introduction to group theory and
some of its applications.