Math 6210 - Algebraic Topology - Fundamental Group

Section 100, Control number 46007
Fall Semester 2009
Department of Mathematics
Western Michigan University

Updated September 1, 2009.

Time and location:  Class meets 9 - 9:50 a.m., MWF, in 3309 Rood Hall.  Final exam is Tuesday, December 15, 8 - 10 a.m.

Instructor:  Jay A. Wood, 6617 Everett Tower, 387-4812, email: jay(dot)wood(at)wmich(dot)edu .

Office hours:  11 a.m. - 12 noon, MWF, or by appointment.

Course description (from the graduate catalog):   "Topics may include: Homotopy, the fundamental group, covering spaces, the classification of covering spaces, the classification of compact surfaces, the Seifert-Van Kampen Theorem, and applications."  In fact, we will be covering roughly the first half of Dr. Strom's lecture notes (see below).

Prerequisites & Corequisites: Prerequisite: MATH 5220.

Credits: 3 hours

Textbook:  Jeff Strom, Modern Classical Homotopy Theory, manuscript available from  http://homepages.wmich.edu/~jstrom/AlgebraicTopology/LongNotes.pdf  .   Another resource is the textbook by Allen Hatcher; see http://www.math.cornell.edu/~hatcher/ .

Homework:  Here is the list of homework assignments for the semester.  Due dates will be announced in class. 

Grades:  Grades will be based on homework assignments (worth 1/2 of the class grade), one midterm exam (worth 1/6), and a final exam (worth 1/3).  When calculating grades, I will be at least as generous as 90% for an A, 85% for a BA, 80% for B, 75% for CB, 70% for C, 65% for DC, and 60% for D.

Exam dates:  Midterm exam is Friday, October 23, in class.  Final exam is Tuesday, December 15, 8 - 10 a.m.

Collaboration:  You may work together on homework assigments, but not exams.  If you do work together, or if you receive assistance from someone else, please say so on your paper (e.g., "I worked with Jean-Pierre Serre on problems 5 and 7, and with John Milnor on problems 10 and 15.").  Each person is responsible for writing up his/her own version of the solution.

Accommodation for Disabilities:  Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact Ms. Beth Denhartigh at 387-2116 or at beth.denhartigh@wmich.edu at the beginning of the semester. A disability determination must be made by this office before any accommodations are provided by the instructor.

Student Conduct and Academic Honesty:
You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the academic policies and procedures
in the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalogs (found online, http://catalog.wmich.edu ) and from the Office of Student Conduct (at http://www.osc.wmich.edu/ ) that pertain to student rights and responsibilities. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity, and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.