Last modified: 20 Jan 2023 16:02
A knot is a closed curve in three dimensions. How can we tell if two knots are the same? How can we tell if they are different? This course answers these questions by developing many different "invariants" of knots. It is a pure mathematics course, drawing on simple techniques from a variety of places, but with an emphasis on examples, computations and visual reasoning.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
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| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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Knots have been studied mathematically since the 19th century, and knot theory connects with many other areas of pure maths and even theoretical physics. This course concentrates on knot invariants: numbers, polynomials or groups that try to "measure" properties of the knots. Classic invariants such as the colouring group will lead to more modern ones like the Jones polynomial, which was only discovered in the mid-1980s.
Topics will include the following:
Syllabus
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
4 x Individual Project Homework (5% each) |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 35 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Group Project Final Report |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 15 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Group Project Video Presentation (pre-recorded) |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Individual Project Final Report |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Individual tasks will be assigned in place of group work |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Factual | Remember | ILO’s for this course are available in the course guide. |
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