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PREFACE The book has developed out of a course of lectures delivered to the students of the Post-Gradute Class at Calcutta University. In fact, the book was being issued to the students in small instalments since October, 1955. Besides a two-year compulsory course, there is also a course on Higher Algebra, which may be elected asa special subject for the M. A. and M. Sc. Examinations. The book is intended to cover both these courses and suck other relevant topics as would make the book comprehen- sive. Halt of the book is being published as Part J, to be followed soon by another part. This part gives an intro- duction to the elements of Group theory and the theory of Rings. Chapter I introduces some basic concepts of the subject and lays down, ina general way, the pattern of development of the following chapters, e.g, the set, subsets, mappings, extension and imbedding. The concept of composition serves as a link between this chapter and the following ones by converting the set into a system. Naive theory of sets, outlined in Art. 1, suggests some new properties and new algebraic systems, distinct from those for real numbers. The characteristic properties of the system of natural numbers have been deduced from Peano’s axioms, and then the system has been extended tc the system of integers. An exhaustive treatment of these two systems offers good scope for introducing ths axiomatic method, which is one of the principal features of modern algebra ; the basic concepts introduced earlier also find their applications here. The properties of well- ordering, division algorithm, unique factorisation ete., proved for integers, make their generalisations in the arithmetic of integral domains obvious.(ii) Chapter II introduces the elements of the theory of groups of both finite and infinite orders, finite groups being predominant both as to the results established and the line of development. General systems of single composition, such as groupoids, semigroups quasigrotips, loops etc., serve as models to illustrate the different layers in the axiomatic approach to a gioup. In the first reading, a beginner may omit Arts. 7‘I-I1 and the last half of Art. 12 on permutation groups. The permutation groups from models of finite groups ; also the basic concepts of group theory are illustrated in the theory of permutation groups. A following chapter will include more advanced portions of the theory of groups, including general theory of abelian groups, free groups and free products, extension of groups, solvable and nilpotent groups and theory of group representation. Preliminary concepts of rings have been introduced in Chapter III. Polynomial domain is obtained as an extension ofa ring. Theory of factorisation is given in the later half of this chapter, and the theory is illustrated in the arithmetic of Quadratic integers, Dedekind Kummer method of adjoining “ideal” numbers to ensure existence of h.c.f. and to restore unique factorisation in the case of non-uniquely factorisable domains is also suggested, The following chapters in part II deal with Vector- space, Fields ( including Galois’ theory ), Lattices, general theory of Rings and non-associative Rings, Algebras, Matrices, Groups and the theory of Representation. Axiomatic methods find no place in the Graduate and Under-Graduate courses of Mathematics in the Indian Universities in general. This makes it somewhat difficult to introduce the fundamental concepts of abstract algebra and to develop them to cover the general theories of the subject and some of the important applications within( iii ) the short time of two academic years. A large number of examples has been included to help the beginners in grasping the full import of the different concepts. Every article and sub-article is also followed by a good number of exercises. In writivg this book, 1 wish to express my deep gratitude to my teacher, Prof, F. W. Levi, Dr. phil. nat. His was the first book on Abstract Algebra in English language, The second revised edition of the book was published as Algebra, Vol. 1 in 1942. His manuscripts for Vol. II were completed before he retired from Calcutta University in 1948. These two volumes were since then being used as texts in the Post-Graduate classes here. But Vol. I has been out of print for some years past and the Vol. II has never been published. The materials in these two volumes and my own notes from his various Lectures, Symposium and Colloquium addresses have helped me immensely in the preparation of this book. I have tried to express, within my limited capacity, the spirit of the subject which he inculcated onus. I have also been greatly benefited by the suggestions of my colleagues, and 1am particularly indebted to Dr, A.C. Chowdhury, M. Sc, D. Phil, whose advice and encourage- ment have always been an inspiration to me. To all of them I express my gratefulness. Catcutta, } . 0. Ohatter} Sed. January, 1957 B. 0. Ohatterjee

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