Math 145a Set Theory

This page contains some links and information for Math 145a in Fall 2016.

Class meets in Science Center 411 (right by the elevators) from 1:00pm-2:30pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Justin Cavitt is your CA.

Final candy hours:

Course Documents

Here is the syllabus for the course. Of course you should read it, but here are some administrative highlights:

Homework (see below) is due every Tuesday.

I don't do office hours, I do candy hours. These are just like office hours, but with candy. Feel free to come just for the candy (or just for the math).

The textbook for this class is "Set Theory: The Independence Phenomenon" by Peter Koellner.

Midterm: October 11
Final: December 12, 2pm

Grade Breakdown:
Homework 60%
Midterm 20%
Final 20%


Beyond the class specifics in the syllabus, this page provides some general guidelines for classes that we should all know, but are also worth making explicit.

Homework

Homework is due (mostly) every Tuesday in class, at the start of class. See below for the exact schedule.

Homework will cover material from the previous week and will be posted no later than a week before it's due.

This year, the math department is starting Math Night where you can go to work with other set theorists on your problem sets.

Assignment .pdf Due Date
ZF-whatsit? HW1 Sep. 6
I recognize that this is due the second day of class, but want to give you an opportunity to see what homework is like during reading period (and an opportunity to try out Math Night!).
I Axiom of Choose you! HW2 Sep. 13
Problems 5 and 6 are being moved to next weeks homework, so you don't need to do them.
Every day I'm well-ordering HW3 Sep. 22
Homework is due Thursday this week instead of Tuesday.
Ordinals on Ordinals HW4 Oct. 4
No homework due the week of Sep. 27 and 29.
Midterm N/A Oct. 11
Midterm Review PDF
There will be an in-class midterm on Oct. 11. A review will be posted.
No Homework N/A Oct. 18
Baire-ly the real numbers HW5 Oct. 25
Ultrahomework HW6 Nov. 1
Seeing set theory for the trees HW7 Nov. 8
Remember to vote if you're able.
These HW puns are tree-rific HW8 Nov. 15
Models of Set Theory HW9 Nov. 29
Last homework HW10 Dec. 1

Course Notes

This is a collection of notes from class.

Notes .pdf
Notes on Transfinite Recursion pdf
Notes on Cofinality pdf
Midterm Exam pdf
Notes on Ultrafilters pdf
"The Banach-Tarski Paradox" by Tom Weston html
Notes on Normalizing Suslin Trees pdf
Notes on Defining L pdf

Candy Hours

Just like Office Hours, except there's always free candy! Come for the candy, stay for the free math help.

Office: Science Center 238

Candy Hours: Monday 12:30-1:30pm; Thursday 3:00-4:00pm

Extra Candy Hours for the midterm will be held Saturday, October 8 from 2:00-4:00pm

I'm also in my office most of the day, so please email me if you'd like to meet some other time.

Course Assistant

Our CA is Justin Cavitt.

Email: justincavitt@college.harvard.edu
Office Hours: Sunday 6-7pm in SC 304

Justin will often also be at Math Night.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at wboney@math.harvard.edu.
Back to my homepage.