Math 203A - Algebraic Geometry

Welcome to Math 203a!

Course description:

This course provides an introduction to algebraic geometry. Algebraic geometry is a central subject in modern mathematics, and an active area of research. It has connections with number theory, differential geometry, symplectic geometry, mathematical physics, string theory, representation theory, combinatorics and others.

Math 203 is a three quarter sequence. Math 203a will cover affine and projective varieties corresponding roughly to the first chapter of Hartshorne.

The course description can be found here.

Instructor: Dragos Oprea, doprea "at" math.you-know-where.edu, AP&M 6-101.

Lectures: WF 3:00 - 4:20 PM, AP&M 7321 .

Office hours:

Wednesday 1:45 - 2:45 in AP&M 6-101.

I am available for questions after lecture or by appointment. Also, feel free to drop in if you see me in my office.

Textbook: I will roughly follow Andreas Gathamnn's notes available online. I recommend that you also consult Shafarevich's Basic Algebraic Geometry and Hartshorne's Algebraic Geometry.

Other useful texts are

Additional resources:

Prerequisites:

Some knowledge of modern algebra at the level of Math 200 is required. I will try to keep the algebraic prerequisites to a minimum. Familiarity with basic point set topology, complex analysis and/or differentiable manifolds is helpful to get some intuition for the concepts. Since it is hard to determine the precise background needed for this course, I will be happy to discuss prerequisites on an individual basis. If you are unsure, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Grading:
There will be no exams for this class. The grade will be based entirely on homeworks and regular attendance of lectures. The problem sets are mandatory and are a very important part of the course. The problem sets are due in class, typically on Fridays.

Important dates:

Make-up lecture on Monday October 21 in 6402. Lecture on Wednesday October 23 is in B402A.

Lecture Summaries


Homework:

Homework 1 due Friday, October 4 - PDF

Homework 2 due Friday, October 18 - PDF

Homework 3 due Friday, October 25 - PDF

Homework 4 due Friday, November 1 - PDF

Homework 5 due Friday, November 15 - PDF

Homework 6 due Friday, November 22 - PDF

Homework 7 due Friday, December 6 - PDF