Algebra prerequisites for Hatcher's Algebraic Topology












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Is the chapter on groups in Herstein's Topics in Algebra enough to get started? What bare minimum Algebra should I be comfortable with, before studying Algebraic Topology?










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    Is the chapter on groups in Herstein's Topics in Algebra enough to get started? What bare minimum Algebra should I be comfortable with, before studying Algebraic Topology?










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      Is the chapter on groups in Herstein's Topics in Algebra enough to get started? What bare minimum Algebra should I be comfortable with, before studying Algebraic Topology?










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      Is the chapter on groups in Herstein's Topics in Algebra enough to get started? What bare minimum Algebra should I be comfortable with, before studying Algebraic Topology?







      abstract-algebra reference-request algebraic-topology book-recommendation






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      asked Dec 19 '16 at 16:41









      emilranemilran

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          Probably not, when covering things like the characterization of the fundamental groups of compact surfaces a couple of facts about free groups are used, also when calculating the abelianizations of the aforementioned groups.



          However, I recommend that you learn these as they appear while you are reading Hatcher. I think that Hatcher's book is going to require a lot of work regardless of whether you know a lot of group theory or not. But it is a great book, and I think that learning the group theory stuff as you advance through the book is a good method.





          As to what the "bare minimum" is: I thing that chapter on Herstein is more than enough.






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            1 Answer
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            1 Answer
            1






            active

            oldest

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            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

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            votes









            3












            $begingroup$

            Probably not, when covering things like the characterization of the fundamental groups of compact surfaces a couple of facts about free groups are used, also when calculating the abelianizations of the aforementioned groups.



            However, I recommend that you learn these as they appear while you are reading Hatcher. I think that Hatcher's book is going to require a lot of work regardless of whether you know a lot of group theory or not. But it is a great book, and I think that learning the group theory stuff as you advance through the book is a good method.





            As to what the "bare minimum" is: I thing that chapter on Herstein is more than enough.






            share|cite|improve this answer











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              $begingroup$

              Probably not, when covering things like the characterization of the fundamental groups of compact surfaces a couple of facts about free groups are used, also when calculating the abelianizations of the aforementioned groups.



              However, I recommend that you learn these as they appear while you are reading Hatcher. I think that Hatcher's book is going to require a lot of work regardless of whether you know a lot of group theory or not. But it is a great book, and I think that learning the group theory stuff as you advance through the book is a good method.





              As to what the "bare minimum" is: I thing that chapter on Herstein is more than enough.






              share|cite|improve this answer











              $endgroup$
















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                3








                3





                $begingroup$

                Probably not, when covering things like the characterization of the fundamental groups of compact surfaces a couple of facts about free groups are used, also when calculating the abelianizations of the aforementioned groups.



                However, I recommend that you learn these as they appear while you are reading Hatcher. I think that Hatcher's book is going to require a lot of work regardless of whether you know a lot of group theory or not. But it is a great book, and I think that learning the group theory stuff as you advance through the book is a good method.





                As to what the "bare minimum" is: I thing that chapter on Herstein is more than enough.






                share|cite|improve this answer











                $endgroup$



                Probably not, when covering things like the characterization of the fundamental groups of compact surfaces a couple of facts about free groups are used, also when calculating the abelianizations of the aforementioned groups.



                However, I recommend that you learn these as they appear while you are reading Hatcher. I think that Hatcher's book is going to require a lot of work regardless of whether you know a lot of group theory or not. But it is a great book, and I think that learning the group theory stuff as you advance through the book is a good method.





                As to what the "bare minimum" is: I thing that chapter on Herstein is more than enough.







                share|cite|improve this answer














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                edited Dec 28 '18 at 0:07

























                answered Dec 19 '16 at 16:45









                Jorge Fernández HidalgoJorge Fernández Hidalgo

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                75.5k1191192






























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