This excellent textbook introduces the basics of number theory, incorporating the language of abstract algebra. A knowledge of such algebraic concepts as group, ring, field, and domain is not assumed, however; all terms are defined and examples are given — making the book self-contained in this respect. The author begins with an introductory chapter on number theory and its early history. Subsequent chapters deal with unique factorization and the GCD, quadratic residues, number-theoretic functions and the distribution of primes, sums of squares, quadratic equations and quadratic fields, diophantine approximation, and more. Included are discussions of topics not always found in introductory texts: factorization and primality of large integers, p-adic numbers, algebraic number fields, Brun's theorem on twin primes, and the transcendence of e, to mention a few. Readers will find a substantial number of well-chosen problems, along with many notes and bibliographical references selected for readability and relevance. Five helpful appendixes — containing such study aids as a factor table, computer-plotted graphs, a table of indices, the Greek alphabet, and a list of symbols — and a bibliography round out this well-written text, which is directed toward undergraduate majors and beginning graduate students in mathematics. No post-calculus prerequisite is assumed. 1977 edition.
This witty introduction to number theory deals with the properties of numbers and numbers as abstract concepts. Topics include primes, divisibility, quadratic forms, and related theorems.
Unusually clear, accessible introduction covers counting, properties of numbers, prime numbers, Aliquot parts, Diophantine problems, congruences, much more. Bibliography.
This is a book about prime numbers, congruences, secret messages, and elliptic curves that you can read cover to cover. It grew out of undergr- uate courses that the author taught at Harvard, UC San Diego, and the University of Washington. The systematic study of number theory was initiated around 300B. C. when Euclid proved that there are in?nitely many prime numbers, and also cleverly deduced the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, which asserts that every positive integer factors uniquely as a product of primes. Over a thousand years later (around 972A. D. ) Arab mathematicians formulated the congruent number problem that asks for a way to decide whether or not a given positive integer n is the area of a right triangle, all three of whose sides are rational numbers. Then another thousand years later (in 1976), Di?e and Hellman introduced the ?rst ever public-key cryptosystem, which enabled two people to communicate secretely over a public communications channel with no predetermined secret; this invention and the ones that followed it revolutionized the world of digital communication. In the 1980s and 1990s, elliptic curves revolutionized number theory, providing striking new insights into the congruent number problem, primality testing, publ- key cryptography, attacks on public-key systems, and playing a central role in Andrew Wiles’ resolution of Fermat’s Last Theorem.
An introductory textbook with a unique historical approach to teaching number theory The natural numbers have been studied for thousands of years, yet most undergraduate textbooks present number theory as a long list of theorems with little mention of how these results were discovered or why they are important. This book emphasizes the historical development of number theory, describing methods, theorems, and proofs in the contexts in which they originated, and providing an accessible introduction to one of the most fascinating subjects in mathematics. Written in an informal style by an award-winning teacher, Number Theory covers prime numbers, Fibonacci numbers, and a host of other essential topics in number theory, while also telling the stories of the great mathematicians behind these developments, including Euclid, Carl Friedrich Gauss, and Sophie Germain. This one-of-a-kind introductory textbook features an extensive set of problems that enable students to actively reinforce and extend their understanding of the material, as well as fully worked solutions for many of these problems. It also includes helpful hints for when students are unsure of how to get started on a given problem. Uses a unique historical approach to teaching number theory Features numerous problems, helpful hints, and fully worked solutions Discusses fun topics like Pythagorean tuning in music, Sudoku puzzles, and arithmetic progressions of primes Includes an introduction to Sage, an easy-to-learn yet powerful open-source mathematics software package Ideal for undergraduate mathematics majors as well as non-math majors Digital solutions manual (available only to professors)
This textbook provides an engaging and motivational introduction to traditional topics in discrete mathematics, in a manner specifically designed to appeal to computer science students. The text empowers students to think critically, to be effective problem solvers, to integrate theory and practice, and to recognize the importance of abstraction. Clearly structured and interactive in nature, the book presents detailed walkthroughs of several algorithms, stimulating a conversation with the reader through informal commentary and provocative questions. Features: no university-level background in mathematics required; ideally structured for classroom-use and self-study, with modular chapters following ACM curriculum recommendations; describes mathematical processes in an algorithmic manner; contains examples and exercises throughout the text, and highlights the most important concepts in each section; selects examples that demonstrate a practical use for the concept in question.
This is a substantially revised and updated introduction to arithmetic topics, both ancient and modern, that have been at the centre of interest in applications of number theory, particularly in cryptography. As such, no background in algebra or number theory is assumed, and the book begins with a discussion of the basic number theory that is needed. The approach taken is algorithmic, emphasising estimates of the efficiency of the techniques that arise from the theory, and one special feature is the inclusion of recent applications of the theory of elliptic curves. Extensive exercises and careful answers are an integral part all of the chapters.
This book is written for the student in mathematics. Its goal is to give a view of the theory of numbers, of the problems with which this theory deals, and of the methods that are used. We have avoided that style which gives a systematic development of the apparatus and have used instead a freer style, in which the problems and the methods of solution are closely interwoven. We start from concrete problems in number theory. General theories arise as tools for solving these problems. As a rule, these theories are developed sufficiently far so that the reader can see for himself their strength and beauty, and so that he learns to apply them. Most of the questions that are examined in this book are connected with the theory of diophantine equations - that is, with the theory of the solutions in integers of equations in several variables. However, we also consider questions of other types; for example, we derive the theorem of Dirichlet on prime numbers in arithmetic progressions and investigate the growth of the number of solutions of congruences.
Ramsey theory is a fascinating topic. The author shares his view of the topic in this contemporary overview of Ramsey theory. He presents from several points of view, adding intuition and detailed proofs, in an accessible manner unique among most books on the topic. This book covers all of the main results in Ramsey theory along with results that have not appeared in a book before. The presentation is comprehensive and reader friendly. The book covers integer, graph, and Euclidean Ramsey theory with many proofs being combinatorial in nature. The author motivates topics and discussion, rather than just a list of theorems and proofs. In order to engage the reader, each chapter has a section of exercises. This up-to-date book introduces the field of Ramsey theory from several different viewpoints so that the reader can decide which flavor of Ramsey theory best suits them. Additionally, the book offers: A chapter providing different approaches to Ramsey theory, e.g., using topological dynamics, ergodic systems, and algebra in the Stone-Čech compactification of the integers. A chapter on the probabilistic method since it is quite central to Ramsey-type numbers. A unique chapter presenting some applications of Ramsey theory. Exercises in every chapter The intended audience consists of students and mathematicians desiring to learn about Ramsey theory. An undergraduate degree in mathematics (or its equivalent for advanced undergraduates) and a combinatorics course is assumed. TABLE OF CONENTS Preface List of Figures List of Tables Symbols 1. Introduction 2. Integer Ramsey Theory 3. Graph Ramsey Theory 4. Euclidean Ramsey Theory 5. Other Approaches to Ramsey Theory 6. The Probabilistic Method 7. Applications Bibliography Index Biography Aaron Robertson received his Ph.D. in mathematics from Temple University under the guidance of his advisor Doron Zeilberger. Upon finishing his Ph.D. he started at Colgate University in upstate New York where he is currently Professor of Mathematics. He also serves as Associate Managing editor of the journal Integers. After a brief detour into the world of permutation patterns, he has focused most of his research on Ramsey theory.
“Proofs and Fundamentals: A First Course in Abstract Mathematics” 2nd edition is designed as a "transition" course to introduce undergraduates to the writing of rigorous mathematical proofs, and to such fundamental mathematical ideas as sets, functions, relations, and cardinality. The text serves as a bridge between computational courses such as calculus, and more theoretical, proofs-oriented courses such as linear algebra, abstract algebra and real analysis. This 3-part work carefully balances Proofs, Fundamentals, and Extras. Part 1 presents logic and basic proof techniques; Part 2 thoroughly covers fundamental material such as sets, functions and relations; and Part 3 introduces a variety of extra topics such as groups, combinatorics and sequences. A gentle, friendly style is used, in which motivation and informal discussion play a key role, and yet high standards in rigor and in writing are never compromised. New to the second edition: 1) A new section about the foundations of set theory has been added at the end of the chapter about sets. This section includes a very informal discussion of the Zermelo– Fraenkel Axioms for set theory. We do not make use of these axioms subsequently in the text, but it is valuable for any mathematician to be aware that an axiomatic basis for set theory exists. Also included in this new section is a slightly expanded discussion of the Axiom of Choice, and new discussion of Zorn's Lemma, which is used later in the text. 2) The chapter about the cardinality of sets has been rearranged and expanded. There is a new section at the start of the chapter that summarizes various properties of the set of natural numbers; these properties play important roles subsequently in the chapter. The sections on induction and recursion have been slightly expanded, and have been relocated to an earlier place in the chapter (following the new section), both because they are more concrete than the material found in the other sections of the chapter, and because ideas from the sections on induction and recursion are used in the other sections. Next comes the section on the cardinality of sets (which was originally the first section of the chapter); this section gained proofs of the Schroeder–Bernstein theorem and the Trichotomy Law for Sets, and lost most of the material about finite and countable sets, which has now been moved to a new section devoted to those two types of sets. The chapter concludes with the section on the cardinality of the number systems. 3) The chapter on the construction of the natural numbers, integers and rational numbers from the Peano Postulates was removed entirely. That material was originally included to provide the needed background about the number systems, particularly for the discussion of the cardinality of sets, but it was always somewhat out of place given the level and scope of this text. The background material about the natural numbers needed for the cardinality of sets has now been summarized in a new section at the start of that chapter, making the chapter both self-contained and more accessible than it previously was. 4) The section on families of sets has been thoroughly revised, with the focus being on families of sets in general, not necessarily thought of as indexed. 5) A new section about the convergence of sequences has been added to the chapter on selected topics. This new section, which treats a topic from real analysis, adds some diversity to the chapter, which had hitherto contained selected topics of only an algebraic or combinatorial nature. 6) A new section called ``You Are the Professor'' has been added to the end of the last chapter. This new section, which includes a number of attempted proofs taken from actual homework exercises submitted by students, offers the reader the opportunity to solidify her facility for writing proofs by critiquing these submissions as if she were the instructor for the course. 7) All known errors have been corrected. 8) Many minor adjustments of wording have been made throughout the text, with the hope of improving the exposition.
