production
Skip to Content

MX4540: KNOTS (2024-2025)

Last modified: 12 Dec 2024 15:46


Course Overview

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.





Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Ms Sheryl MacKay

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either Mathematics (MA) or Mathematical Sciences (MX)
  • Either Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

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:

  • Knots and links.
  • Linking number.
  • Colourings,determinants and the colouring group.
  • The Alexander polynomial.
  • The Jones polynomial.
  • The Genus.

Syllabus

  • Knots and links
  • Diagrams and Reidemeister moves
  • Sums, mirrors and reverses
  • The linking number
  • Colourability
  • The determinant
  • The colouring group
  • Alexander Polynomial
  • Jones polynomial: definition, computations, properties
  • Jones polynomial and alternating links
  • The genus of a knot and prime knots

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Homework

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 15
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Exam

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 70
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

2-hour exam

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Homework

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 15
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Exam

Assessment Type Summative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

Best of (resit exam mark) or (resit exam mark with carried forward CA marks)

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

Compatibility Mode

We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.