MTH 434/534

MTH 434/534: Differential Geometry
Winter 2024

Tevian Dray: Office hours: TR 2:30–3:30 PM (and by appt) in Kidder 298A; Phone: (541) 737-5159; Email:

Text:: Tevian Dray, Differential Forms and the Geometry of General Relativity

Web Site: https://math.oregonstate.edu/~tevian/onid/MTH434: This page is the course website. Most course information will be posted here, not on Canvas.; Check the announcements page frequently.

Course Evaluation:: There will be (roughly) weekly homework (30% of grade), a midterm (30%), and a final (40%).

Course Description:: This course is a self-contained introduction to the many uses of differential forms. This approach emphasizes geometric content in a coordinate independent way; a good analogy is the use of vectors, rather than their components. We will spend some time developing the necessary mathematical tools, as well as applying these tools to concrete examples drawn from the physical sciences. We will also discuss other selected topics in tensor analysis.
A partial list of course goals can be found here.

Prerequisites:: The formal prerequisites for MTH 434 are MTH 255 and MTH 342; MTH 311 is not required, although it does significantly develop mathematical maturity. However, the real prerequisite is a certain amount of scientific maturity, rather than background in a particular area; a working knowledge of multivariable calculus and linear algebra should be sufficient.; Students not meeting the formal prerequisites will need to contact the instructor to request an override.

Students with Disabilities:: Accommodations are collaborative efforts between students, faculty and Disability Access Services (DAS). Students with accommodations approved through DAS should contact me prior to or during the first week of the term to discuss accommodations. Students who believe they are eligible for accommodations but who have not yet obtained approval through DAS should contact DAS immediately. Further information is available on the DAS website.