Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course - MathOverflow most recent 30 from http://mathoverflow.net 2013-05-21T06:26:37Z http://mathoverflow.net/feeds/question/14371 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Shizhuo Zhang 2010-02-06T10:58:46Z 2010-03-12T05:55:56Z <p>I am now supposed to organize a tiny lecture course on algebraic geometry for undergraduate students who have interest in this subject. </p> <p>I wonder whether there are some basic algebraic geometry texts considering the level of undergraduate students(who have not learnt commutative algebra or homological algebra, they just knew linear algebra and basic abstract algebra)</p> <p>I am also looking for some texts book which provided a lot of examples(more computations using linear algebra and calculus). Actually, I am still looking for some texts book based on the very basic mathematics but talked a little bit modern view point. </p> <p>Thanks in advance!</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14372#14372 Answer by Yemon Choi for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Yemon Choi 2010-02-06T11:03:26Z 2010-02-06T11:03:26Z <p>I can't recall exactly how much background it assumes, but I found Reid's <i>Undergraduate Algebraic Geometry</i> quite accessible. (The forthright views in its last section can be taken either as a blemish or a bonus depending on one's POV.)</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14375#14375 Answer by James Borger for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course James Borger 2010-02-06T11:24:02Z 2010-02-06T12:08:30Z <p>Amnon Neeman's book does GAGA for projective space at the undergraduate level, or so he tells me.</p> <p>[Edit: The book's called "Algebraic and Analytic Geometry".]</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14378#14378 Answer by unknown (google) for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course unknown (google) 2010-02-06T11:41:12Z 2010-02-06T12:28:06Z <p>Cox Little and O'Shea's "Ideals varieties and algorithms" (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ideals-Varieties-Algorithms-Computational-Undergraduate/dp/0387356509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1265456210&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Ideals-Varieties-Algorithms-Computational-Undergraduate/dp/0387356509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1265456210&amp;sr=1-1</a>) is very accessible, assumes almost no background in commutative algebra, and has many examples. The emphasis is on computational algebraic geometry (including Groebner bases). </p> <p>BTW, Milne's "Algebraic Geometry" (<a href="http://jmilne.org/math/CourseNotes/AG.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://jmilne.org/math/CourseNotes/AG.pdf</a>) includes an "Annotated Bibliography" Appendix with an "Elementary Algebraic Geometry" section, and perhaps this is a good place to start the search.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14379#14379 Answer by Andrea Ferretti for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Andrea Ferretti 2010-02-06T11:45:42Z 2010-02-06T11:45:42Z <p>I recommend <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Algebraic-Geometry-Course-Graduate-Mathematics/dp/0387977163" rel="nofollow">Harris'</a> book. It has a nice pace, it is not very technical and has plenty of examples which can be worked out by simple linear algebra.</p> <p>If your students have a good grasp in analysis you may also consider some parts from Griffiths-Harris, but that is probably too advanced.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14380#14380 Answer by Steve D for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Steve D 2010-02-06T12:00:30Z 2010-02-06T12:00:30Z <p>I think <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=uI%5F21kSf0iAC&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;dq=Hulek+elementary+algebraic+geometry&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=uw3%5FUHU0d4&amp;sig=PAZ70WyMHjKFKJ%5FNa%5FINAduGbhw&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=X1ltS6ipHc6a8AbiiOH8BQ&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book%5Fresult&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CAkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;q=&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow">Hulek's book</a> is a nice introduction that does the commutative algebra as needed. I think it is a little more demanding than some of the other suggestions though.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14382#14382 Answer by Wanderer for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Wanderer 2010-02-06T12:13:24Z 2010-02-06T14:55:42Z <p><a href="http://www.amazon.fr/Invitation-Algebraic-Geometry-Karen-Smith/dp/0387989803" rel="nofollow">An invitation to algebraic geometry</a> by Karen Smith is excellent; it is very intuitive, and does everything over the complex numbers. For absolute newcomers, this is probably the best introduction.</p> <p><a href="http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/~wfulton/CurveBook.pdf" rel="nofollow">Algebraic curves</a> by William Fulton is a classic, quite easily readable for beginners, and free available online in pdf! (He recently published the third edition on his site.)</p> <p>The books by Reid, Miranda and Hulek are also good. Reid does many explicit examples.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14383#14383 Answer by Ilya Nikokoshev for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Ilya Nikokoshev 2010-02-06T12:14:54Z 2010-02-06T12:14:54Z <p>You can also take a look at the question <strong><em><a href="http://mathoverflow.net/questions/1291/a-learning-roadmap-for-algebraic-geometry" rel="nofollow">A learning roadmap for algebraic geometry</a></em></strong>.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14386#14386 Answer by Zavosh for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Zavosh 2010-02-06T13:04:06Z 2010-03-12T05:55:56Z <p><a href="http://books.google.ca/books?id=yWceInduaV8C&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;dq=introduction+to+algebraic+curves&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=WIdbQ1LOBE&amp;sig=PeB8_6PbpvQiDssrptoVD5KA5E8&amp;hl=en&amp;ei=W2dtS675CsG0tgfO_YmRBg&amp;sa=X&amp;oi=book_result&amp;ct=result&amp;resnum=1&amp;ved=0CAkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&amp;q=&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow">Introduction to Algebraic Curves</a> by Phillip A. Griffiths</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14392#14392 Answer by Peter Arndt for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Peter Arndt 2010-02-06T14:18:24Z 2010-02-06T14:18:24Z <p>The first volume of <a href="http://www.ams.org/bookpages/mmono-185/" rel="nofollow">Kenji Ueno's "Algebraic Geometry"</a> is a really nice undergraduate book.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14394#14394 Answer by Charles Siegel for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Charles Siegel 2010-02-06T14:52:14Z 2010-02-06T14:52:14Z <p>Miranda's "Algebraic Curves and Riemann Surfaces" assumes that you're familiar with a bit of complex analysis in one variable, but that's it. One of my favorites, aside from the ones that everyone else posted.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14401#14401 Answer by Andy Putman for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Andy Putman 2010-02-06T17:08:11Z 2010-02-06T17:08:11Z <p>I suggest "Introduction to Algebraic Geometry" by Brendan Hassett. It is a nice, down-to-earth introduction to algebraic geometry, and it also spends a lot of time on computational topics like Grobner bases. When I was an undergraduate, I took a class from Brendan using an early version of this book (in fact, I think he was writing it as he taught), and it was completely accessible despite the fact that at time I did not know much commutative algebra.</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/14449#14449 Answer by babubba for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course babubba 2010-02-07T01:00:07Z 2010-02-07T01:00:07Z <p>As an introduction to Algebraic Geometry for Undergraduates, Amnon Neeman's book "Algebraic and Analytical Geometry" is really great. It goes directly into schemes, but works over C and gives motivation for everything he does. It also has an introduction for teachers intending to use the book. (Sorry for the duplicate answer, but I can't make comments yet)</p> http://mathoverflow.net/questions/14371/looking-for-an-introductory-textbook-on-algebraic-geometry-for-an-undergraduate-l/17949#17949 Answer by Andrew L for Looking for an introductory textbook on algebraic geometry for an undergraduate lecture course Andrew L 2010-03-12T05:23:42Z 2010-03-12T05:23:42Z <p>REALLY hard to pick past Ried's <em>Undergraduate Algebraic Geometry</em> or O'Shea et.al.'s <em>Ideals,Vareties And Algorithms</em> for a first course in AG. In fact,using them both with create an extraordinarily deep course for undergraduates with just a basic abstract algebra course. Ried's book supplies a great theoretical foundation while IVAs gives much more hands-on examples as well as computer experiences. Great choices both.</p>