A Course on Finite Groups [Paperback]

Introduces the richness of group theory to advanced undergraduate and graduate students, concentrating on the finite aspects.

Provides a wealth of exercises and problems to support self-study.

Additional online resources on more challenging and more specialised topics can be used as extension material for courses, or for further independent study.

Group Theory has wide-ranging uses in the field of mathematics. This book offers a comprehensive account of the finite groups. It begins with the basic definitions and moves on to develop the theory, using examples to help students with their understanding.

A Course on Finite Groups introduces the fundamentals of group theory to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. Based on a series of lecture courses developed by the author over many years, the book starts with the basic definitions and examples and develops the theory to the point where a number of classic theorems can be proved. The topics covered include: Lagranges theorem; group constructions; homomorphisms and isomorphisms; actions; Sylow theory, products and Abelian groups; series, and nilpotent and soluble groups; and an introduction to the classification of the finite simple groups.

A number of groups are described in detail and the reader is encouraged to work with one of the many computer algebra packages available to construct and experience actual groups for themselves in order to develop a deeper understanding of the theory and the significance of the theorems. Numerous exercises, of varying levels of difficulty, help to test understanding.

A brief resum? of the basic set theory and number theory required for the text is provided in an appendix, and a wealth of extra resources is available online at www.springer.com, including: hints and/or full solutions to all of the exercises; extension material for many of the chapterlC*