Innovations in Teaching Abstract Algebra

Software Tools for Working with Abstract Algebra

AbstractAlgebra

• Articles used in: Using Mathematica to Explore Abstract Algebra, Allen C. Hibbard
• Availability: freeware
• Publisher/Creator: Al Hibbard and Ken Levasseur
• Platforms supported: requires Mathematica
• Download Information
• Tutorial or related pages

Exploring Small Groups (ESG)

• Articles used in: Laboratory Experiences in Group Theory: A Discovery Approach, Ellen Maycock Parker
• Availability: free with book -- see below
• Publisher/Creator: Ladnor Geissinger
• Platforms supported: DOS
• Download Information: Accompanies Laboratory Experiences in Group Theory, Ellen Maycock Parker, MAA (1996 0-88385-705-7)

Finite Group Behavior (FGB)

• Articles used in: Learning Beginning Group Theory with Finite Group Behavior, Edward Keppelmann with Bayard Webb
• Availability: freeware (registration required)
• Publisher/Creator: Edward Keppelmann and Bayard Webb
• Platforms supported: Windows 95/98
• Download Information
• Tutorial or related pages

Groups, Algorithms and Programming (GAP)

• Articles used in: Using GAP in an Abstract Algebra Class, Julianne G. Rainbolt
• Availability: freeware
• Publisher/Creator: team effort; GAP page
• Platforms supported: Macintosh, Windows, Unix
• Download Information: Get GAP
• Tutorial or related pages:
  • GAP Forum
  • Introduction to GAP
  • Getting Started
  • GAP 4 .2 Manual

ISETL (Interactive Set Language)

• Articles used in:
  • Discovering Abstract Algebra with ISETL, Ruth I. Berger
  • Teaching Abstract Algebra with ISETL, Karin M. Pringle
  • Using ISETL and Cooperative Learning to Teach Abstract Algebra: An Instructor's View, Robert S. Smith
• Availability: freeware
• Publisher/Creator: Gary Levin (Clarkson University)
• Platforms supported: Macintosh, DOS, Windows
• Download Information: Macintosh, DOS, and Windows ISETLW
• Tutorial or related pages
  • Macintosh READ ME at Mathematics Archives
  • DOS Documentation from Archives
  • Getting Started Guide

Maple

• Articles used in: Some Uses of Maple in the Teaching of Modern Algebra, Kevin Charlwood
• Availability: Commercial
• Publisher/Creator: Waterloo Maple
• Platforms supported: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, DEC Alpha, and others
• Sales Information
• Tutorial or related pages

Mathematica

• Articles used in: Using Mathematica to Explore Abstract Algebra, Allen C. Hibbard
• Availability: Commercial
• Publisher/Creator: Wolfram Research, Inc.
• Platforms supported: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, and others
• Sales Information
• Tutorial or related pages: Tutorials, Demos, MathSource, Training and Consulting

MATLAB

• Articles used in: Experiments with Finite Linear Groups Using MATLAB, George Mackiw
• Availability: Commercial
• Publisher/Creator: The MathWorks
• Platforms supported: many platforms, including Linux, Macintosh, Windows, and Unix
• Sales Information
• Tutorial or related pages

MetaCard

• Articles used in: Learning Permutation Group Theory via Puzzles, John O. Kiltinen
• Availability: Commercial
• Publisher/Creator: MetaCard Corporation
• Platforms supported: Windows 3.1/95/98/NT, Unix/X11, Macintosh OS (7.1 or later)
• Download Information:
• Tutorial or related pages:

PascalGT

• Article used in: The PascGalois Triangle: A Tool for Visualizing Abstract Algebra, Michael J. Bardzell and Kathleen M. Shannon
• Availability: freeware (though donations accepted)
• Publisher/Creator: Kathleen M. Shannon and Michael J. Bardzell
• Platforms supported: Windows 95, Windows 98
• Download Information
• Tutorial or related pages: see above

Other Software Mentioned

• The Geometer's Sketchpad
• TesselMania
• Kali
• KaledioTile

• MAGMA