Algebraic K-Theory and Its Applications [Paperback]

Algebraic K-Theory is crucial in many areas of modern mathematics, especially algebraic topology, number theory, algebraic geometry, and operator theory. This text is designed to help graduate students in other areas learn the basics of K-Theory and get a feel for its many applications. Topics include algebraic topology, homological algebra, algebraic number theory, and an introduction to cyclic homology and its interrelationship with K-Theory.

Algebraic K-Theory plays an important role in many areas of modern mathematics: most notably algebraic topology, number theory, and algebraic geometry, but even including operator theory. The broad range of these topics has tended to give the subject an aura of inapproachability. This book, based on a course at the University of Maryland in the fall of 1990, is intended to enable graduate students or mathematicians working in other areas not only to learn the basics of algebraic K-Theory, but also to get a feel for its many applications. The required prerequisites are only the standard one-year graduate algebra course and the standard introductory graduate course on algebraic and geometric topology. Many topics from algebraic topology, homological algebra, and algebraic number theory are developed as needed. The final chapter gives a concise introduction to cyclic homology and its interrelationship with K-Theory.1. K0 of Rings.- 1. Defining K0.- 2. K0 from idempotents.- 3. K0 of PIDs and local rings.- 4. K0 of Dedekind domains.- 5. Relative K0 and excision.- 6. An application: Swans Theorem and topological K- theory.- 7. Another application: Euler characteristics and the Wall finiteness obstruction.- 2.K1 of Rings.- 1. Defining K1.- 2. K1 of division rings and local rings.- 3. 1 of PIDs and Dedekind domains.- 4. Whitehead groups and Whitehead torsion.- 5. Relative K1 and the exact sequence.- 3. K0 and K1 of Categories, Negative K-Theory.- 1. K0 and K1 of categories, Go and G1 of rings.- 2. The Grothendieck l#å