Ask HN: Good textbooks or resources for learning Abstract Algebra?

Posted by SkyMarshal on Sunday August 18, 2019 @06:43PM
from the ask-hn dept.

Anyone who’s studied abstract algebra have any favorite textbooks or resources for learning it? I want to better understand both the symbology and the concepts, particularly those that are prereqs to cryptography and category theory. I would love to find a “Calculus Made Easy” or “SICP” equivalent for abstract algebra - a text that explains it really well.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abstract_algebra

( 4 comments | 11 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Good textbooks or resources for learning Abstract... by ekr on Monday August 19, 2019 @09:03AM (#20737332)

Algebra by "Mac Lane & Birkhoff" was my favorite textbook in college. Really thorough and not quite as dry as Dummit.

(https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Chelsea-Publishing-Saunders-L...)

Mac Lane was also the father of category theory.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Good textbooks or resources for learning Abstract... by omar_a1 on Monday August 19, 2019 @05:40PM (#20742084)

Not sure that you'll find any "Made Easy"-type (abstract) algebra texts, but my college textbook was "Introduction to Abstract Algebra", by W. Keith Nicholson, for what it's worth.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Good textbooks or resources for learning Abstract... by pizza on Monday August 19, 2019 @01:01AM (#20735006)

If you don't get any better suggestions try Dummit and Foote.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Good textbooks or resources for learning Abstract... by koots on Tuesday August 20, 2019 @10:45AM (#20747545)

MIT ocw Abstract Algebra course

[ Parent | on HN ]