Exploring Abstract Algebra with Mathematica

Al Hibbard - Central College - e-mail homepage

Ken Levasseur - UMass-Lowell - e-mail homepage

Download `AbstractAlgebra` for Mathematica 3.x

What we think is a new and improved version of what you have below can be obtained by downloading a Mathematica notebook that has all the following information and more. A sequence of steps is given regarding what is exactly needed to be done, as well helping you to get started. Please try this notebook and let us know what you think. In particular, let us know if there are any problems. Thanks.

Below are a variety of files in several formats/platforms that contain the AbstractAlgebra packages. After downloading the file and decompressing it, you should have a directory/folder entitled AbstractAlgebra. (Note: It is always a good idea to archive the original packages, if you have them, in case there was a transmission error.) Place this in the Applications directory that is insider the AddOns directory inside the Mathematica directory. Next, start up Mathematica and choose Rebuild Help Index from the Help menu in; this will make the Documentation files available via the AddOns button of the Help Browser. From the Browser, one can also access all of the palettes and lab notebooks available that accompany Exploring Abstract Algebra with Mathematica, if you have adapted the text. (You need to contact us to receive updated versions of these.)

To get started with the packages, type Needs["AbstractAlgebra`Master`"] and then SwitchStructureTo[x], where x is either Group or Ring (depending on what type of structure you want). From here, you may wish to walk through the help files in the Browser to get an overview. You are also strongly encouraged to download a test file that walks you through getting started and gives you some tests to run to make sure everything is installed correctly. Enjoy!

If you have any problem with installation, first double-check the instructions given and look at the directory schematic below. Also, download the file mentioned in the previous paragraph and read it carefully. If you still have problems, contact us by giving all relevant details and error messages.

Download the files

download (in .sea.hqx form) all files for Macintosh (1.7M - file added 1/17/00) [Ignore any error messages when decompressing (which may occur with some browsers and/or versions) - just proceed and things will work out.]
download (in .zip form) all files for Windows or other platforms capable of handling .zip files (1.6M - file added 1/17/00) [If you need a file with which to unzip this, either try the file below or download WinZip, a shareware program that will allow you to unzip this.]
download (in .zip.exe form) all files for Windows in a self-extracting archive (2M - file added 2/2/00)
download all files in .tar form (Note: I haven't been able to try and download this and test it on a unix machine. If someone downloads this and tries, please let me how things went so that I can delete this parenthetical note.) (10M - file added 1/17/00)
download all files in .tar.Z form (Note: I haven't been able to try and download this and test it on a unix machine. If someone downloads this and tries, please let me how things went so that I can delete this parenthetical note.) (2.7M - file added 1/17/00)

Latest changed files

Below are a few files that have either improvements or bug fixes.

(Since the files above contain all the most recent ones, you are recommended to download the full package.)

Directory schematic

After a complete installation, your files should be placed as shown by the following hiearchy, with the top-level occurring inside the Mathematica directory.

AddOns
- Applications
  - AbstractAlgebra
    - package files (.m files - interespersed alphabetically)
    - Documentation
      - English
        
        documentation files
    - FrontEnd
      - Palettes
        
        AbstractAlgebraPalette.nb
      - StyleSheets
        
        EAAM.nb
    - GroupLabQuestions
      - questions for group lab notebooks from EAAM
    - GroupLabs (complete versions only available for users of EAAM)
      - Group Lab 1. Using symmetry to uncover a group
      - Group Lab 2. Determining the symmetry group of a given figure
      - Group Lab 3. Is this a group?
      - Group Lab 4. Let's get these orders straight!
      - Group Lab 5. Subversively grouping our elements
      - Group Lab 6. Cycling through the groups
      - Group Lab 7. Permutations
      - Group Lab 8. Isomorphisms
      - Group Lab 9. Automorphisms
      - Group Lab 10. Direct Products
      - Group Lab 11. Cosets
      - Group Lab 12. Normality and Factor groups
      - Group Lab 13. Homomorphisms
      - Group Lab 14: Rotational groups of regular polyhedra
    - Kernel
      - init.m (Master.m copied here and renamed to init.m)
    - Lab0
      - EAAM.nb (style sheet)
      - EAAMLab0.nb (Introduction to Mathematica)
      - Lab0Qts.nb (Introduction to Mathematica)
    - RingLabQuestions
      - questions for ring lab notebooks from EAAM
    - RingLabs (complete versions only available for users of EAAM)
      - Ring Lab 1. An Introduction to Ringoids and Rings
      - Ring Lab 2. An Introduction to Rings: part two
      - Ring Lab 3. An ideal part of rings
      - Ring Lab 4. What does Z[i]/<a+bi> look like?
      - Ring Lab 5. Ring homomorphisms
      - Ring Lab 6. Polynomial rings
      - Ring Lab 7. Factoring and irreducibility
      - Ring Lab 8. Roots of unity
      - Ring Lab 9. Cyclotomic polynomials
      - Ring Lab 10. Quotient rings of polynomials
      - Ring Lab 11. Quadratic field extensions
      - Ring Lab 12. Factoring in Z[Sqrt[d]]
      - Ring Lab 13. Finite Fields

Back to the EAAM homepage.