Introduction to Field Theory: Second Edition - 9780486785486

A fascinating branch of algebra with numerous applications, field theory leads the way to one of the most important theorems of mathematics, the fundamental theorem of Galois theory. This text ranges from field theory's basic definitions to its most significant results and applications, introducing both the spirit and techniques of abstract algebra. Appropriate for undergraduate students in pure mathematics, it presupposes minimal knowledge of elementary group theory.
Acclaimed by American Mathematical Monthly as "an excellent introduction," this treatment begins by developing the elementary properties of rings and fields and examining a variety of homomorphisms, vector spaces, and polynomials. Subsequent chapters explore extension fields and their classifications as well as Artin's approach to Galois theory. The concluding section focuses on applications, with considerations of finite fields, cyclotomic extensions, solution by radicals, generic polynomials, and much more.