| Dewey Class |
512.3 |
| Title |
Abstract Algebra and Famous Impossibilities ( EBook) : Squaring the Circle, Doubling the Cube, Trisecting an Angle, and Solving Quintic Equations / / by Sidney A. Morris, Arthur Jones, Kenneth R. Pearson. |
| Author |
Morris, Sidney A. |
| Added Personal Name |
Jones, Arthur |
| Pearson, Kenneth R. |
| Other name(s) |
SpringerLink (Online service) |
| Edition statement |
2nd ed. 2022. |
| Publication |
Cham : : Springer International Publishing : : Imprint: Springer, , 2022. |
| Physical Details |
XXII, 218 p. 29 illus. : online resource. |
| Series |
Readings in Mathematics 2945-5847 |
| ISBN |
9783031056987 |
| Summary Note |
This textbook develops the abstract algebra necessary to prove the impossibility of four famous mathematical feats: squaring the circle, trisecting the angle, doubling the cube, and solving quintic equations. All the relevant concepts about fields are introduced concretely, with the geometrical questions providing motivation for the algebraic concepts. By focusing on problems that are as easy to approach as they were fiendishly difficult to resolve, the authors provide a uniquely accessible introduction to the power of abstraction. Beginning with a brief account of the history of these fabled problems, the book goes on to present the theory of fields, polynomials, field extensions, and irreducible polynomials. Straightedge and compass constructions establish the standards for constructability, and offer a glimpse into why squaring, doubling, and trisecting appeared so tractable to professional and amateur mathematicians alike. However, the connection between geometry and algebra allows the reader to bypass two millennia of failed geometric attempts, arriving at the elegant algebraic conclusion that such constructions are impossible. From here, focus turns to a challenging problem within algebra itself: finding a general formula for solving a quintic polynomial. The proof of the impossibility of this task is presented using Abel’s original approach. Abstract Algebra and Famous Impossibilities illustrates the enormous power of algebraic abstraction by exploring several notable historical triumphs. This new edition adds the fourth impossibility: solving general quintic equations. Students and instructors alike will appreciate the illuminating examples, conversational commentary, and engaging exercises that accompany each section. A first course in linear algebra is assumed, along with a basic familiarity with integral calculus.: |
| Contents note |
1. Algebraic Preliminaries -- 2. Algebraic Numbers and Their Polynomials -- 3. Extending Fields -- 4. Irreducible Polynomials -- 5. Straightedge and Compass Constructions -- 6. Proofs of the Geometric Impossibilities -- 7. Zeros of Polynomials of Degrees 2, 3, and 4 -- 8. Quintic Equations 1: Symmetric Polynomials -- 9. Quintic Equations II: The Abel–Ruffini Theorem -- 10. Transcendence of e and π -- 11. An Algebraic Postscript -- 12. Other Impossibilities: Regular Polygons and Integration in Finite Terms -- References -- Index. |
| Mode of acces to digital resource |
Digital reproduction.- |
| Cham : |
| Springer International Publishing, |
| 2022. - |
| Mode of access: World Wide Web. System requirements: Internet Explorer 6.0 (or higher) or Firefox 2.0 (or higher). Available as searchable text in PDF format. |
| System details note |
Online access to this digital book is restricted to subscription institutions through IP address (only for SISSA internal users). |
| Internet Site |
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05698-7 |
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