Math 208, Manifolds I, Fall 2015

• Lectures: TTh 2:00-3:45pm, McHenry 1270

• Text: Introduction to Smooth Manifolds by John M. Lee, Second edition, Springer 2013

• Preparation requirements: point-set topology, active knowledge of basic analysis and linear algebra.

• Instructor: Viktor Ginzburg; office: McHenry 4124
  email: ginzburg(at)ucsc.edu, phone: 459-2218

• Office Hours: Tu 12:00-1:00pm, Th 1:00-2:00pm or by appointment

• Tentative Syllabus: This is the first course in the geometry sequence 208-210 and 211. The main theme of the course is the notion of manifold. Manifolds are curved spaces (such as the physical space-time, according to some theories) that can be thought of as a generalization of surfaces to higher dimensions. Among manifolds are Lie groups, configuration spaces of many physical systems, and in fact most of the underlying objects of modern geometry. We will cover Chapters 1-5, 8, 9 of the textbook and some parts of Chapters 6, 7 and 10. A word of warning: I won't follow the textbook closely.

• Coursework: There will be weekly homework sets, one take-home midterm, and a take-home final.

• Take-Home Midterm (pdf file): due Tuesday 11/10

• Take-Home Final (pdf file): due Thursday 12/03