call for guinea pigs

[makyo]

As I've mentioned recently, I'm trying to write an undergraduate abstract algebra textbook that's readable by humans,1 because I think that somebody should.

Comments

[darth_tigger]

While I do have a BSc in Maths it was *cough*mumble*oh*gosh*is*that*the*time* years ago and I've forgotten all of it apart from the fact that infinity comes in different sizes and you have to wait ages for a bus no matter when it's due. But if I can be of any use, count me in.

[makyo]

Thanks - I'll add you to the list.

[andrewducker]

A level maths (got a D), but am interested in reading anything which explains things well.

[makyo]

Thanks - I'll add you to the list. Any feedback or insights would be welcome.

[christiffer]

I did O level maths, a btec diploma and scraped engineering maths at Warwick, so dunno how much used I'd be, but I'm interested nonetheless

[makyo]

Splendid - I'll add you to the list. Any constructive feedback is welcome.

[la_marquise_de_]

I think this is an excellent idea, and in theory I'd love to volunteer, but algebra brings me out in hives (my maths teacher believed girls were incapable of learning maths and proved it by refusing to teach us, answer questions or mark our work -- he literally behaved as if only the boys were present. As a result, my maths is uneven, to say the least. And algebra was the worst bit.)

[makyo]

my maths teacher believed girls were incapable of learning maths
That's awful - I'm so sorry. I don't know why people like that go into teaching in the first place, and I'm sure it would be better all round if they didn't.

One of my undergraduate lecturers at York had a similar attitude - he just didn't think women could do maths. He wasn't too bad with our year, but apparently one particular remark in the previous year had prompted a formal letter of complaint signed by a fair proportion of the students present. I felt very slightly sorry for him in some respects - he'd managed to get a permanent academic post right after his PhD in the mid 1960s, and had then realised too late that he didn't like research (as far as I could tell he only had two published papers, both in the mid 1960s), didn't like teaching (he seemed to do as little of it as he could get away with), and certainly didn't like students, but it was now a bit too late to switch careers to something he did like so he might as well just muddle along until retirement.

[ceb]

Could I persuade you to unlock this post? I have a friend who teaches undergraduate maths here in Cambridge who I'd like to point at it.

[makyo]

I suppose I could unlock it. I think I'll edit it to remove identifiable names, just to be on the safe side. But yes, please do pass my email address on to your friend.