The test will be 170 minutes long. Our regular class meets 10-12. You have three options:
Location: RW 117 (same as our regular class).
The material included is
There will be two standard-length questions plus one special, long question. The long question will require understanding the big picture of one of the major themes and the way many different theorems and definitions interact with each other. As an example, this could be the long question:
Define ideal and maximal ideal. Prove that the quotient of a ring by an ideal is a field if and only if the ideal is maximal. (You will need to put some extra conditions on the ring for this to be true.) As your starting point, you may assume the definition of ring and the definition of field without stating them. You have to define any other concept you use. You have to state and prove any lemma or result you use. Use your judgement to decide how much detail to provide.
For a question like this, I recommend you work a bit on your scrap paper first. Make a plan. Before you start writing your answer, think about the "big picture"; decide on the big structure of your exposition and make it clean and clear. Don't just start writing definitions and lemmas without sense. Think of it as writing an essay (or, at least, a math paper.) You want to help the reader, not torture them. I will evaluate you on the completness and correctness of the math, on the clarity of the explanations, and on the quality of your writing.
To prepare for this question, as you study, look for topics that tie many concepts together. Don't think of the material as a bunch of disconnected theorems, but look for the big themes. Try to anticipate what questions I could ask under this format (there are not that many!) and practice. If you prepare well, chances are you will have already answered the question I will ask.