Abstract Algebra – Creating Intuition for Abstract Algebra Theorems

abstract-algebraadvicegroup-theorysoft-question

I am a Ph.D student in computer science, and I work on graph isomorphism. My research work requires some level of mathematics (mostly group theory ). I have done basic level abstract algebra course. I try to write down the theorems on peace of paper and try to understand them; I usually repeat this process four five times. Some time by doing this I understand the theorem and its proof, but there are times when I find it difficult. The biggest problem I have faced is that theorems related to abstract algebra are really abstract I mean there is no way to create an intuition (Is it true ?).

My question : How to create an intuition for abstract algebra theorems?

For Example

enter image description here

enter image description here

Best Answer

I think the best way to understand abstractions intuitively is to study lots of examples. To understand group actions, write some down. Then think about whether each is transitive, whether it's primitive, look at the stabilizers of elements. Verify that the theorem is true; try to understand why in each particular case. Look for examples where some hypothesis fails and see whether (and why) the conclusion fails.

That learning strategy reproduces (in part) the explorations that led to the useful abstractions of group theory. Mathematicians studying the symmetries of various geometrical objects realized that they could reason about the symmetry of just about anything by inventing an abstract language whose definitions captured the essence of the properties of symmetries.

Unfortunately, often the abstractions - the definitions and theorems - take center stage in teaching and learning. Students find it hard to understand what's going on without the examples. I would tell my students that for me the category of groups consisted of those groups with which I was personally familiar. I assigned homework that called for working out examples at least as much as proving theorems.

In your own discipline (computer science) there are analogous historical trends leading from examples to abstractions: the concepts of object oriented or functional programming languages, the development of abstract tools to reason about databases.