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/sci/ - Science & Math

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12340478 No.12340478 [Reply] [Original]

Hello,

I'm interesting in understanding electroweak theory and quantum chromodynamics, and when looking at the math it seems I need to understand the SU(2) and SU(3) groups. I don't know anything about group theory and am currently researching it online. Does anyone have some good introductions to group theory, and what groups are and why they are used? Just thought I'd ask here as well.

>> No.12340509

>>12340478
have you any previous exposure in elementary linear/abstract algebra?

>> No.12340554

>>12340478
Dummit & Foote's Abstract Algebra is a good book to start on group theory. If you already know linear algebra and single variable calculus it's pretty easy.

>> No.12342213

>>12340509
If he had exposure to abstract algebra, then he would obviously know what a group is. What could he possibly do in abstract algebra without knowing about groups? Field theory/Galois theory? Ring theory/commutative algebra? These are all more advanced than group theory. Obviously he doesn't know abstract algebra.

>>12340554
This is shitty advice. D&F is not ideal for a first intro to group theory, and it contains way for material than is needed for someone interested in getting a working understanding of group theory in order to apply it to physics.

Personally, I would recommend watching a few videos on YouTube and then picking up any random undergraduate level introduction to Abstract Algebra. I used this textbook by Joseph Gallian for my two undergrad abstract algebra courses, and it worked pretty well.