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Problem Sets:
Notes:
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Course Description:
An introduction to elementary ('elementary' does
not mean 'easy') number theory. We study, in particular, the primes
2,3,5,7,11,13,... and the squares 1,4,9,16,25,... Topics include
congruences, RSA public key cryptography, continued fractions, quadratic
reciprocity, Pell's equation, representation by quadratic forms.
Text:
William LeVeque's Fundamentals of Number Theory as published by Dover
Publications (1996). Some extra notes will be provided.
Grading:
Grades will be based on written assignments (75%) and a final exam (25%).
Homework:
There will be one homework set each week, due Tuesdays at
5:00 pm. Collaboration is allowed unless otherwise stated. Each student,
however, must demonstrate their individual understanding of the solution by
writing it up on their own, in their own words.
Some use of Mathematica or Maple may be required at times.
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