Highly regarded by instructors in past editions for its sequencing of topics and extensive set of exercises, the latest edition of Abstract Algebra retains its concrete approach with its gentle introduction to basic background material and its gradual increase in the level of sophistication as the student progresses through the book. Abstract concepts are introduced only after a careful study of important examples.

Beachy and Blair’s clear narrative presentation responds to the needs of inexperienced students who stumble over proof writing, who understand definitions and theorems but cannot do the problems, and who want more examples that tie into their previous experience.

The authors introduce chapters by indicating why the material is important and, at the same time, relating the new material to things from the student’s background and linking the subject matter of the chapter to the broader picture. The fourth edition includes a new chapter of selected topics in group theory: nilpotent groups, semidirect products, the classification of groups of small order, and an application of groups to the geometry of the plane.