Math 685: Computational Algebraic Geometry—a distance reading course
Section 700 Sign up for 3 credits.

Instructor: Frank Sottile fjsteachmath@gmail.com
This is a distance reading course that will accompany my graduate course
Computational Algebraic Geometry.
Grading: Some homework/computer projects and end-of-term projects.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor. (It will be given)
Note for distance couse: This is my first time offering this option, so it will be experimental.
The distance class will have assigned reading, as well as some homeworks,
including computational projects.

I will be using Piazza as a course forum for this class.
Piazza: Sign Up     Piazza Class page.
The homework is linked to this line.
Course description:
    This course will cover the basics of computational algebraic geometry, including the core algorithms in the subject, as well as introduce some of the most common algebraic varieties which occur in applications. We will gain familiarity with software for algebraic geometry, including the systems Macaulay 2, Singular, Bertini, and PHCpack. Students will complete a final project in the subject in lieu of a final exam. Grading will be based on final projects, participation in the online course discussion and regular (but light) homework that includes computer work.
Expected topics to cover:
  • Algebraic-geometric dictionary
  • Resultants and elimination
  • Gröbner bases, including algorithms based on Groebner bases
  • Solving polynomial systems symbolically
  • Solving systems of polynomial equations using numerical continuation
  • Certification of numerical solutions. Smale's α-theory
  • Numerical algebraic geometry. Witness sets and numerical irreducible decomposition
  • Real root counting. Sturm's theorem. Fewnomial theory
Textook:
There are two sources. One is the award-winning Ideals, Varieties, and Algorithms by David Cox, John Little, and Donal O'Shea. (The edition does not matter.) In particular it contains all the algebraic preliminaries, and is a great resource. It is required of the distance students, and I may give reading assignments and some homeworks from it for you. It is available in a free download from the TAMU library.
A second text consists of chapters from a book I am writing on Algebraic geometry for applications with Thorsten Theobald:
Notes on The Algebraic-Geometric Dictionary Revised version of 14 January 2019
Notes on symbolic computation.
Notes on Properties of Varieties.
Notes on Numerical Algebraic Geometry.
The last two are (Dec 2018) a bit incomplete. I plan to complete them for this course.
 

Last modified: Wed Feb 20 11:21:09 CST 2019