Ok,

Before the rant, let me give you a brief introduction of how this class goes. Well maybe the introduction is the rant, but anyway. We get into class and the professor “teaches”. This includes going through the book and performing proofs for the various theorems in the text book. These proofs she haves from her notes, which I’m assuming were compiled from the solution manual for this text book. By the way the text book is: Contemporary Abstract Algebra, Sixth Edition. By Joseph A. Gallian. The proofs in the text book are often inadequate for her tastes, so we are forced to go deep into the proofs that she find satisfactory. I’m all fine with that.

This is what I don’t get. We don’t really learn much in class that helps us with the homework that she assigns everyday. We have “in class” homework, which we go over in the class and “take up” homework, which she picks up and grades. And funny enough we are also graded on the in class portion. She will pick a problem and call out people at “random” or from some sort of mental list she keeps and if you are unable to do the problem, guess what you grade is for that day. I couldn’t tell you because it’s all objective.

My main problem is that the homework problems are insane. The text book itself is ridiculous. The explanations and examples throughout the chapter only help you with the very basic questions on the homework, questions 1-10 or so. What the hell am I supposed to do for question 33, and 24? I guess what’s I’m doing right now Googling. I just can’t help but think that this isn’t really making any sense.

Back to the professor. In addition of having insane things to prove and not having the slightest idea where to start, this professor is sort of obsessive with her proofs. Even when I get a proof right off the Internet in it’s entirety, I can never get full points for a problem. I get points taken of for English. Yes, you heard me, English. “Run on sentences”, etc. Just to remind you, this is an advanced level Math course. Math is often seens as its own language since it incorporated its own symbols, etc. Oh, did I mention? We’re not allowed to use any symbols, except the very basic ones like =, +, etc.

Now this is all well and good if I’m writing a paper. But am I? Hell no. It’s homework. Now when I’m given 4 problems to prove. Just figuring out or even googling the proof usually takes about 2-4 hours per problem on average. In addition to this I have to write out dissertation type proofs with little use of time saving symbols and lots and lots of trivial statements, which anyone that has taken upwards of College Algebra would see are unnecessary.

But hey, such is life no? Welcome to the world of Algebraic Structures. Tip to you kids out there, if you don’t really really really love Math; and I mean love it to the extent that you want it to have your children, leave the Math major for those who can.

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