<p>Hey guys, I need some insight. I am currently a Junior Mathematics major and I just registered for courses next semester. I want to get ahead, or caught up depending on how you look at it, of my study so I doubled up my courses next semester. I am going to take Linear Algebra and Modern Algebra at the same time and I am wondering if this is possible? Or more specifically, do you NEED Linear Algebra before you take Modern Algebra?? I do believe that Linear Alg. is a prerequisite for Modern Algebra, but my advisor told me that it is possible to take them both at the same time because there is not that much Linear Algebra needed for Modern Algebra. However, I did have to get department permission to take these two courses together. I am a very good student and all of the math I have taken up to this point has been a breeze, but am I going to be ok next semester or did I register into a death trap? Any insight is appreciated.</p>
<p>My advice is to keep your finger on the eject button also known as the LAST DAY TO DROP.</p>
<p>it depends on the textbook you’re using. a popular modern algebra textbook is Fraleigh’s “First Course in Abstract Algebra”, which I’m currently using now. you don’t need to know any linear algebra beyond the basic concepts of matrices, which you might even have learned in high school algebra.</p>
<p>there are some notational things that you will be unfamiliar with that are used in linear algebra - but I know my professor went over those things in the first day or two anyway.</p>
<p>in short you should be fine.</p>
<p>How are you a Junior and taking Linear Algebra now? I am a Math major as well and I am a freshman and going to take linear algebra on the Spring?</p>
<p>I kinda decided late that I would major in math. The only difference is that I’ll be taking requirement classes senior year and you will be taking electives; unless of course you double major. In any respect, you are however ahead of pace taking Linear as a Freshman.</p>
<p>Some high schools cover linear algebra in senior year…</p>
<p>I’m a first-year math major and I might take it in my third year. What are these people’s problems? Take it whenever you want to. I decided to take Multivariable Calculus, Advanced Calculus, Mathematical Analysis 1, Logic, Differential Equations, Probability, Discrete Math, Complex Variables, and Foundations of Applied Math first. The order doesn’t matter much.</p>
<p>Yeah, the order makes next to no difference. If you’re serious about being a math major, and have decent intuition, linear algebra will just be learning names for processes you’ve probably already used without knowing to solve problems you’ve probably been doing for a long time anyway. Don’t worry about it.</p>
<p>I’m not actually a math major but I may as well be,</p>
<p>I took linear algebra in high school and am taking modern algebra now in my first semester. So far there has been no overlap. It may be different at my school, but the only benefit so far is the fact that a lot of topics are analogous to those covered in Lin Al (ei, Groups<->Spaces, Subgroups <-> Subspaces, etc) and that can help you visualize and understand some abstract concepts a bit better. There are many kids in the class that havent had any lin al and they are doing fine (and most of them are third years too, so your not really far behind).</p>