Number theory Books

Book SynopsisHow do you remember more and forget less?How can you earn more and become more creative just by moving house?And how do you pack a car boot most efficiently?This is your shortcut to the art of the shortcut.Mathematics is full of better ways of thinking, and with over 2,000 years of knowledge to draw on, Oxford mathematician Marcus du Sautoy interrogates his passion for shortcuts in this fresh and fascinating guide. After all, shortcuts have enabled so much of human progress, whether in constructing the first cities around the Euphrates 5,000 years ago, using calculus to determine the scale of the universe or in writing today's algorithms that help us find a new life partner.As well as looking at the most useful shortcuts in history such as measuring the circumference of the earth in 240 BC to diagrams that illustrate how modern GPS works Marcus also looks at how you can use shortcuts in investing or how to learn a musical instrument to memory techniques. He talks to, among many, the Trade Review‘enjoyably clever …with vividly illustrated chapters about the real-world applications of algebra, geometry, probability theory…It’s Du Sautoy, in the end, who provides the wisest commentary’ Steven Poole, Guardian ‘If you thought Maths was all about long stuff, like long division and long multiplication and taking a long, long time to figure things out, Marcus du Sautoy shows that it's just the opposite. Full of humour, stories and the lightest of touches, this is a sight-seeing tour of some of the world's greatest neat dodges, unexpected turns and useful cut-throughs. Prepare to be caught short’ Michael Rosen ‘This book will change the way you look at the world. It's chock full of stories, ideas and clever tricks – I loved it. Marcus is a maestro at making big ideas come alive – he deserves his place alongside Richard Dawkins, E. O. Wilson and Carlo Rovelli in the pantheon of great modern science writers’ Rohan Silva, CEO and founder of Second Home ‘If mathematics has proved anything, it is that shortcuts can change the world. Marcus du Sautoy has come up with a smart, well written and entertaining guide to the connecting tunnels, underpasses and other tricks to traverse the trials of everyday life’ Roger Highfield, author, broadcaster and Science Director at the Science Museum ‘The joy of du Sautoy’s book isn’t really the art of the real-world shortcut at all. It is the romp through mathematical ideas, from place value to non Euclidean geometry to probability theory…There are vivid historical examples of scientists and others using mathematical ideas to solve problems’ Tim Harford, Financial Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten by a distinguished mathematician and teacher, this undergraduate text uses a combinatorial approach to accommodate both math majors and liberal arts students. In addition to covering the basics of number theory, it offers an outstanding introduction to partitions, plus chapters on multiplicativity-divisibility, quadratic congruences, additivity, and more.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPreface.- Introduction.- 1 An Introduction to Cryptography.- 2 Discrete Logarithms and Diffie-Hellman.- 3 Integer Factorization and RSA.- 4 Digital Signatures.- 5 Combinatorics, Probability, and Information Theory.- 6 Elliptic Curves and Cryptography.- 7 Lattices and Cryptography.- 8 Additional Topics in Cryptography.- List of Notation.- References.- Index.Trade Review“This book explains the mathematical foundations of public key cryptography in a mathematically correct and thorough way without omitting important practicalities. … I would like to emphasize that the book is very well written and quite clear. Topics are well motivated, and there are a good number of examples and nicely chosen exercises. To me, this book is still the first-choice introduction to public-key cryptography.” (Klaus Galensa, Computing Reviews, March, 2015)“This is a text for an upper undergraduate/lower graduate course in mathematical cryptography. … It is very well written and quite clear. Topics are well-motivated, and there are a good number of examples and nicely chosen exercises. … An instructor of a fairly sophisticated undergraduate course in cryptography who wants to emphasize public key cryptography should definitely take a look at this book.” (Mark Hunacek, MAA Reviews, October, 2014)Table of ContentsPreface.- Introduction.- 1 An Introduction to Cryptography.- 2 Discrete Logarithms and Diffie-Hellman.- 3 Integer Factorization and RSA.- 4 Digital Signatures.- 5 Combinatorics, Probability, and Information Theory.- 6 Elliptic Curves and Cryptography.- 7 Lattices and Cryptography.- 8 Additional Topics in Cryptography.- List of Notation.- References.- Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis20 years later The Music of the Primes is still a groundbreaking popular science book. This new edition features updates from the author and a foreword by actor and director, Simon McBurney. In 1859, the German mathematician Bernhard Riemann presented a paper to the Berlin Academy which would change the history of mathematics. The subject was the strange and enigmatic prime numbers. At the heart of the presentation was an idea, a hypothesis, that Riemann had not yet proved but which has come to obsess mathematicians for the last 150 years. No one knows if he ever found the proof; on his death his housekeeper burnt all the personal papers. Today, the hypothesis is considered by many the holy grail of mathematics but has significance far beyond maths. At the of the heart of the enigma is a prize much larger than just intellectual glory; not only is there a $1 million reward for the person who can crack it but also is the key to all banking and e-commerce security. It is the idea that brings together many other areas of science and has ramifications within Quantum Mechanics, Chaos Theory and the future of computing. In 'The Music of the Primes', one of Britain's leading mathematicians, Marcus du Sautoy, recounts the history of these elusive numbers. It is a story of eccentric and brilliant men, last minute escapes from death, strange journeys, dangerous ideas and the unquenchable thirst for knowledge that drove some men mad and others to unparalleled glory. du Sautoy also tells a coruscating history of Mathematics. Combining in-depth knowledge as a practitioner in the field with narrative flair, this book will become a classic of popular science writing and will rank alongside 'Chaos' and 'Fermat's Last Theorem' within the genre. The Riemann Hypothesis:• Compared to Fermat's Last Theorem, the Hypothesis is mathematicians’ real Holy Grail• Is the only problem from Hilbert's 1900 Centenary Problems that was unproved in the 20th century and now has a $1 million reward for the person who cracks it.• The Hypothesis is the key to all Internet and e-commerce securityTrade Review'Du Sautoy is a contagious enthusiast, a populist with a staunch faith in the public's intelligence…he has uncovered a wealth of intriguing anecdotes that he has woven into a compelling narrative.' Observer 'He laces the ideas with history, anecdote and personalia – an entertaining mix that renders an austere subject palatable…valiant and ingenious…Even those with a mathematical allergy can enjoy du Sautoy's depictions of his cast of characters' The Times 'He brings hugely enjoyable writing, full of zest and passion, to the most fundamental questions in the pursuit of true knowledge.' Sunday Times 'A mesmerising journey into the world of mathematics and its mysteries.' Daily Mail 'A brilliant storyteller.' Independent

Read more less

Book SynopsisNumber theory is the branch of mathematics primarily concerned with the counting numbers, especially primes. It dates back to the ancient Greeks, but today it has great practical importance in cryptography, from credit card security to national defence. This book introduces the main areas of number theory, and some of its most interesting problems.Table of ContentsList of illustrations List of tables 1: What is number theory? 2: Divisibility 3: Primes I 4: Congruences I 5: Diophantine equations 6: Congruences II 7: Primes II 8: The Riemann hypothesis Appendix Further reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA fascinating book. -- James Ryerson * New York Times Book Review *Fascinating…This is bold, heady stuff…The breadth of research Everett covers is impressive, and allows him to develop a narrative that is both global and compelling. He is as much at home describing the niceties of experimental work in cognitive science as he is discussing arcane tribal rituals and the technical details of grammar…It is often poignant, and makes a virtue of the author’s experiences with some of the indigenous peoples he describes, based on a childhood following his missionary parents—in particular his famous father, Daniel Everett—into the Amazon jungle…Numbers is eye-opening, even eye-popping. And it makes a powerful case for language, as a cultural invention, being central to the making of us. -- Vyvyan Evans * New Scientist *Everett buttresses his argument with an impressive array of studies from different fields…It all adds up to a powerful and convincing case for Everett’s main thesis: that numbers are neither natural nor innate to humans but ‘a creation of the human mind, a cognitive invention that has altered forever how we see and distinguish quantities.’ His argument that numbers played a crucial role in the development of agriculture and the complex societies it supported is equally persuasive. -- Amir Alexander * Wall Street Journal *In this multi-disciplinary investigation, anthropologist Caleb Everett examines the seemingly limitless possibilities and innovations made possible by the evolution of number systems. -- Rachel E. Gross * Smithsonian *Caleb Everett provides a fascinating account of the development of human numeracy, from innate abilities to the complexities of agricultural and trading societies, all viewed against the general background of human cultural evolution. He successfully draws together insights from linguistics, cognitive psychology, anthropology, and archaeology in a way that is accessible to the general reader as well as to specialists. He does not avoid controversy, making this a key contribution to a developing debate. -- Bernard Comrie, University of California, Santa BarbaraIn his journey through the millennia of human evolution, from the forests of Amazonia to the deserts of Australia, ever in search of a better understanding of human diversity, Caleb Everett presents a breathtaking narrative of how the human species developed one of its most distinct cognitive and linguistic achievements: to count and to use concepts of quantity to expand and enrich a wide range of cultural activities. -- Bernd Heine, University of Cologne

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntroduction to Modern Cryptography, the most relied-upon textbook in the field, provides a mathematically rigorous yet accessible treatment of this fascinating subject. The authors have kept the book up-to-date while incorporating feedback from instructors and students alike; the presentation is refined, current, and accurate.The bookâs focus is on modern cryptography, which is distinguished from classical cryptography by its emphasis on definitions, precise assumptions, and rigorous proofs of security. A unique feature of the text is that it presents theoretical foundations with an eye toward understanding cryptography as used in the real world. This revised edition fixed typos and includes all the updates made to the third edition, including: Enhanced treatment of several modern aspects of private-key cryptography, including authenticated encryption and nonce-based encryption. Coverage of widely used standards such as GMAC, Poly1305, GCM, CCM, and ChaCha20-Poly1305. New sections on the ChaCha20 stream cipher, sponge-based hash functions, and SHA-3. Increased coverage of elliptic-curve cryptography, including a discussion of various curves used in practice. A new chapter describing the impact of quantum computers on cryptography and providing examples of quantum-secure encryption and signature schemes. Containing worked examples and updated exercises, Introduction to Modern Cryptography, Revised Third Edition can serve as a textbook for undergraduate- or graduate-level courses in cryptography, a reference for graduate students, researchers, and practitioners, or a general introduction suitable for self-study.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis innovative undergraduate textbook approaches number theory through the lens of abstract algebra. Written in an engaging and whimsical style, this text will introduce students to rings, groups, fields, and other algebraic structures as they discover the key concepts of elementary number theory. Inquiry-based learning (IBL) appears throughout the chapters, allowing students to develop insights for upcoming sections while simultaneously strengthening their understanding of previously covered topics. The text is organized around three core themes: the notion of what a “number” is, and the premise that it takes familiarity with a large variety of number systems to fully explore number theory; the use of Diophantine equations as catalysts for introducing and developing structural ideas; and the role of abstract algebra in number theory, in particular the extent to which it provides the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic for various new number systems. Other aspects of modern number theory – including the study of elliptic curves, the analogs between integer and polynomial arithmetic, p-adic arithmetic, and relationships between the spectra of primes in various rings – are included in smaller but persistent threads woven through chapters and exercise sets.Each chapter concludes with exercises organized in four categories: Calculations and Informal Proofs, Formal Proofs, Computation and Experimentation, and General Number Theory Awareness. IBL “Exploration” worksheets appear in many sections, some of which involve numerical investigations. To assist students who may not have experience with programming languages, Python worksheets are available on the book’s website. The final chapter provides five additional IBL explorations that reinforce and expand what students have learned, and can be used as starting points for independent projects. The topics covered in these explorations are public key cryptography, Lagrange’s four-square theorem, units and Pell’s Equation, various cases of the solution to Fermat’s Last Theorem, and a peek into other deeper mysteries of algebraic number theory.Students should have a basic familiarity with complex numbers, matrix algebra, vector spaces, and proof techniques, as well as a spirit of adventure to explore the “numberverse.”Table of ContentsPreface.- What is a Number?- A Quick Survey of the Last Two Millenia.- Number Theory in $\mathcal{Z}$ Beginning.- Number Theory in the Mod-n Era.- Gaussian Number Theory: $\mathcal{Z}[i]$ of the Storm.- Number Theory: From Where We $\mathcal{R}$ to across the $mathcal{C}$.- Cyclotomic Number Theory: Roots and Reciprocity. Number Theory Unleashed: Release $\mathcal{Z}_p$!- The Adventure Continues.- Appendix: Number Systems.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis textbook provides an accessible account of the history of abstract algebra, tracing a range of topics in modern algebra and number theory back to their modest presence in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and exploring the impact of ideas on the development of the subject. Beginning with Gauss’s theory of numbers and Galois’s ideas, the book progresses to Dedekind and Kronecker, Jordan and Klein, Steinitz, Hilbert, and Emmy Noether. Approaching mathematical topics from a historical perspective, the author explores quadratic forms, quadratic reciprocity, Fermat’s Last Theorem, cyclotomy, quintic equations, Galois theory, commutative rings, abstract fields, ideal theory, invariant theory, and group theory. Readers will learn what Galois accomplished, how difficult the proofs of his theorems were, and how important Camille Jordan and Felix Klein were in the eventual acceptance of Galois’s approach to the solution of equations. The book also describes the relationship between Kummer’s ideal numbers and Dedekind’s ideals, and discusses why Dedekind felt his solution to the divisor problem was better than Kummer’s. Designed for a course in the history of modern algebra, this book is aimed at undergraduate students with an introductory background in algebra but will also appeal to researchers with a general interest in the topic. With exercises at the end of each chapter and appendices providing material difficult to find elsewhere, this book is self-contained and therefore suitable for self-study.Trade Review“This volume is well written and nicely complements other works on the history of algebra. It can be recommended to all mathematicians and students of mathematics who want to understand how algebra turned into the rather abstract field it is today.” (C. Baxa, Monatshefte für Mathematik, Vol. 201 (4), August, 2023)“The book under review is an excellent contribution to the history of abstract algebra and the beginnings of algebraic number theory. I recommend it to everyone interested in the history of mathematics.” (Franz Lemmermeyer, zbMATH 1411.01005, 2019)“This is a nice book to have around; it reflects careful scholarship and is filled with interesting material. … there is much to like about this book. It is quite detailed, contains a lot of information, is meticulously researched, and has an extensive bibliography. Anyone interested in the history of mathematics, or abstract algebra, will want to make the acquaintance of this book.” (Mark Hunacek, MAA Reviews, June 24, 2019)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- 1 Simple quadratic forms.- 2 Fermat’s Last Theorem.- 3 Lagrange’s theory of quadratic forms.- 4 Gauss’s Disquisitiones Arithmeticae.- 5 Cyclotomy.- 6 Two of Gauss’s proofs of quadratic reciprocity.- 7 Dirichlet’s Lectures.- 8 Is the quintic unsolvable?.- 9 The unsolvability of the quintic.- 10 Galois’s theory.- 11 After Galois – Introduction.- 12 Revision and first assignment.- 13 Jordan’s Traité.- 14 Jordan and Klein.- 15 What is ‘Galois theory’?.- 16 Algebraic number theory: cyclotomy.- 17 Dedekind’s first theory of ideals.- 18 Dedekind’s later theory of ideals.- 19 Quadratic forms and ideals.- 20 Kronecker’s algebraic number theory.- 21 Revision and second assignment.- 22 Algebra at the end of the 19th century.- 23 The concept of an abstract field.- 24 Ideal theory.- 25 Invariant theory.- 26 Hilbert’s Zahlbericht.- 27 The rise of modern algebra – group theory.- 28 Emmy Noether.- 29 From Weber to van der Waerden.- 30 Revision and final assignment.- A Polynomial equations in the 18th Century.- B Gauss and composition of forms.- C Gauss on quadratic reciprocity.- D From Jordan’s Traité.- E Klein’s Erlanger Programm.- F From Dedekind’s 11th supplement.- G Subgroups of S4 and S5.- H Curves.- I Resultants.- Bibliography.- Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGraduate students and researchers in modular representation theory, especially block theory, will find this systematic introduction indispensable. The two volumes include detailed treatments of classic material as well as more modern developments which have not appeared in any book before, giving readers a comprehensive overview of the subject.Trade Review'This 2-volume book is a very welcome addition to the existing literature in modular representation theory. It contains a wealth of material much of which is here presented in textbook form for the first time. It gives an excellent overview of the state of the art in this fascinating subject and also of the many challenging and fundamental open problems. It is well written and will certainly become a standard reference.' Burkhard Kűlshammer, MathSciNetTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Algebras and modules; 2. Functors between module categories; 3. Character theory; 4. Algebras over p-local rings; 5. Group algebras and modules over p-local rings; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the title, "[the square root of minus one]" appears as a radical over "-1."Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1999 Honorable Mention for the 1998 Award for Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Mathematics, Association of American Publishers "A book-length hymn of praise to the square root of minus one."--Brian Rotman, Times Literary Supplement "An Imaginary Tale is marvelous reading and hard to put down. Readers will find that Nahin has cleared up many of the mysteries surrounding the use of complex numbers."--Victor J. Katz, Science "[An Imaginary Tale] can be read for fun and profit by anyone who has taken courses in introductory calculus, plane geometry and trigonometry."--William Thompson, American Scientist "Someone has finally delivered a definitive history of this 'imaginary' number... A must read for anyone interested in mathematics and its history."--D. S. Larson, Choice "Attempting to explain imaginary numbers to a non-mathematician can be a frustrating experience... On such occasions, it would be most useful to have a copy of Paul Nahin's excellent book at hand."--A. Rice, Mathematical Gazette "Imaginary numbers! Threeve! Ninety-fifteen! No, not those kind of imaginary numbers. If you have any interest in where the concept of imaginary numbers comes from, you will be drawn into the wonderful stories of how i was discovered."--Rebecca Russ, Math Horizons "There will be something of reward in this book for everyone."--R.G. Keesing, Contemporary Physics "Nahin has given us a fine addition to the family of books about particular numbers. It is interesting to speculate what the next member of the family will be about. Zero? The Euler constant? The square root of two? While we are waiting, we can enjoy An Imaginary Tale."--Ed Sandifer, MAA Online "Paul Nahin's book is a delightful romp through the development of imaginary numbers."--Robin J. Wilson, London Mathematical Society Newsletter "You will definitely enjoy it. In fact it clearly reflects the the joy and delight that the author experienced when he was confronted with complex analysis during his engineering studies."--Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical SocietyTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*A Note to the Reader, pg. vii*Contents, pg. ix*Illustrations, pg. xi*Preface to the Paperback Edition, pg. xiii*Preface, pg. xxi*Introduction, pg. 1*CHAPTER ONE The Puzzles of Imaginary Numbers, pg. 8*CHAPTER TWO. A First Try at Understanding the Geometry of -1, pg. 31*CHAPTER THREE. The Puzzles Start to Clear, pg. 48*CHAPTER FOUR. Using Complex Numbers, pg. 84*CHAPTER FIVE. More Uses of Complex Numbers, pg. 105*CHAPTER SIX. Wizard Mathematics, pg. 142*CHAPTER SEVEN. The Nineteenth Century, Cauchy, and the Beginning of Complex Function Theory, pg. 187*APPENDIX A. The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, pg. 227*APPENDIX B. The Complex Roots of a Transcendental Equation, pg. 230*APPENDIX C. ( -1)( -1) to 135 Decimal Places, and How It Was Computed, pg. 235*APPENDIX D. Solving Clausen's Puzzle, pg. 238*APPENDIX E. Deriving the Differential Equation for the Phase-Shift Oscillator, pg. 240*APPENDIX F. The Value of the Gamma Function on the Critical Line, pg. 244*Notes, pg. 247*Name Index, pg. 261*Subject Index, pg. 265*Acknowledgments, pg. 269

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2013, a little known mathematician in his late 50s stunned the mathematical community with a breakthrough on an age-old problem about prime numbers. Since then, there has been further dramatic progress on the problem, thanks to the efforts of a large-scale online collaborative effort of a type that would have been unthinkable in mathematics a couple of decades ago, and the insight and creativity of a young mathematician at the start of his career.Prime numbers have intrigued, inspired and infuriated mathematicians for millennia. Every school student studies prime numbers and can appreciate their beauty, and yet mathematicians'' difficulty with answering some seemingly simple questions about them reveals the depth and subtlety of prime numbers.Vicky Neale charts the recent progress towards proving the famous Twin Primes Conjecture, and the very different ways in which the breakthroughs have been made: a solo mathematician working in isolation and obscurity, and a large collaboration that is more public than any previous collaborative effort in mathematics and that reveals much about how mathematicians go about their work. Interleaved with this story are highlights from a significantly older tale, going back two thousand years and more, of mathematicians'' efforts to comprehend the beauty and unlock the mysteries of the prime numbers.Trade ReviewThe way [Closing the Gap] explores mathematics and at the same time describes the work mathematicians do, is very interesting and it keeps the reader invested in the book. It is easy to read and precise. The book could be definitely recommended to mathematics students and teachers but also to younger people with an interest in higher-level mathematics. * Panayiotis Vlamos, University of Athens, MAA *The book features a creative structure that lends itself well to the subject matter. A curious undergraduate mathematics major should enjoy this book and learn a great deal. For mathematicians who do not specialize in number theory but who are curious about the flurry of recent activity in the field, this book provides an excellent entry point. * Stephan Ramon Garcia, Notices of the American Mathematics Society *If you are looking for an introduction to the world of Polymath; if you are looking for the story of the Twin Primes Conjecture; if you are looking to show you friends and family what your life as a mathematician is; if you would like a bit of asymptotic mathematics explained to you plainly; if you would like a summary of Waring's problem; or if you just have a couple of hours and are looking for a nice diversion, then you have found it. * Deborah Chun, London Mathematical Society *The book is clearly and enthusiastically written and beautifully presented. * Owen Toller, The Mathematical Gazette *For myself, I learned a lot, even about subjects I thought I knew before... it is clear from every page in the book that Neale is superb teacher. In sum, I recommend this book highly to anyone interested in mathematics, young people and teachers but also to researchers. * Michael N. Fried, Mathematical Thinking and Learning *Written in an engaging and inclusive way, it makes a perfect read for beginners but it also picks up the pace fairly quickly, so even enthusiasts like myself are bound to enjoy it. Neale manages to take the readers on a journey to cutting edge research mathematics. * Nikoleta Kalaydzhieva and Sam Porritt, Chalkdust Magazine *Neale writes in an inviting style that draws readers into this challenging subject, convincing them that, with a little effort, they too can follow along. An enjoyable book and journey, complemented by a helpful reading list and index... Recommended. * J. Johnson, CHOICE *Closing the Gap is an excellent exposition of the study of prime numbers. Not only do we learn about the history of this area since the Greeks, but the book is the first aimed at a lay readership that provides insight into recent breakthroughs. Vicky Neale's passion in the subject is contagious and I enjoyed how she weaves together the mathematics with background on how mathematicians now work, as well as her reflections on what it is like to be a mathematician. This book would be ideal for a curious sixth former wanting to peek ahead at what might lie around the corner if they are considering studying mathematics at a higher level. * Alex Bellos, author of Alex's Adventures in Numberland and Alex Through the Looking-Glass *Her prose is clear but not patronizing, precise but accessible. The result is a very enjoyable book that can be read with profit not only by laypeople but also by mathematics students and the people who teach them. * Mark Hunacek, MAA Reviews *Closing The Gap has gone straight into my top ten books to give to interested students... The book's introduction starts with an extended analogy comparing mathematics to climbing [and] Neale sets herself up as this guide, and succeeds brilliantly. * Colin Beveridge, The Aperiodical *Closing the Gap is among the clearest popular accounts of maths I've read in a while. It's about prime numbers, as the title suggests, but it's also a master piece in the art of weaving. Apart from exploring the mathematics, the book gives an intimate description of the process of doing maths as experienced by those who do it every day, and an account of a particularly exciting, and recent, period when prime number theory made some great leaps forward. And it's a look at a completely new way of doing mathematics: in large online collaborations that anyone can join. * Marianne Freiberger, PLUS *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: What is a prime? 3: May 2013 4: It's easy to ask hard questions 5: May 2013 6: Making hard problems easier 7: June 2013 8: How many primes are there? 9: July 2013 10: What's so mathematical about my mathematical pencil? 11: August 2013 12: If primes are hard, let's try something else 13: November 2013 14: Generalise . . . 15: April 2014 16: Where next?

Read more less

Book SynopsisMinimal prerequisites make this text ideal for a first course in number theory. Written in a lively, engaging style by the author of popular mathematics books, it features nearly 1,000 imaginative exercises and problems. Solutions to many of the problems are included, and a teacher''s guide is available. 1978 edition.

Read more less

Book SynopsisL-functions associated to automorphic forms encode all classical number theoretic information. They are akin to elementary particles in physics. This book provides an entirely self-contained introduction to the theory of L-functions in a style accessible to graduate students with a basic knowledge of classical analysis, complex variable theory, and algebra. Also within the volume are many new results not yet found in the literature. The exposition provides complete detailed proofs of results in an easy-to-read format using many examples and without the need to know and remember many complex definitions. The main themes of the book are first worked out for GL(2,R) and GL(3,R), and then for the general case of GL(n,R). In an appendix to the book, a set of Mathematica functions is presented, designed to allow the reader to explore the theory from a computational point of view.Trade Review'… a gentle introduction to this fascinating new subject. The presentation is very explicit and many examples are worked out with great detail … This book should be of great interest to students beginning with the theory of modular forms or for more advanced readers wanting to know about general L-functions.' Emmanuel P. Royer, Mathematical Reviews'This book, whose clear and sometimes simplified proofs make the basic theory of automorphic forms on GL(n) accessible to a wide audience, will be valuable for students. It nicely complements D. Bump's book (Automorphic Forms and Representations, Cambridge, 1997), which offers a greater emphasis on representation theory and a different selection of topics.' Zentralblatt MATH'Unfortunately, when n > 2 the GL(n) theory is not very accessible to the student of analytic number theory, yet it is increasing in importance. [This book] addresses this problem by developing a large part of the theory in a way that is carefully designed to make the field accessible … much of the literature is written in the adele language, and seeing how it translates into classical terms is both useful and enlightening … This is a unique and very welcome book, one that the student of automorphic forms will want to study, and also useful to experts.' Daniel Bump, SIAM ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Discrete group actions; 2. Invariant differential operators; 3. Automorphic forms and L-functions for SL(2,Z); 4. Existence of Maass forms; 5. Maass forms and Whittaker functions for SL(n,Z); 6. Automorphic forms and L-functions for SL(3,Z); 7. The Gelbert–Jacquet lift; 8. Bounds for L-functions and Siegel zeros; 9. The Godement–Jacquet L-function; 10. Langlands Eisenstein series; 11. Poincaré series and Kloosterman sums; 12. Rankin–Selberg convolutions; 13. Langlands conjectures; Appendix. The GL(n)pack manual; References.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"The insides of this book are as clever and compelling as the subtitle on the cover. Havil, a retired former master at Winchester College in England, where he taught math for decades, takes readers on a history of irrational numbers--numbers, like v2 or p, whose decimal expansion 'is neither finite nor recurring.' We start in ancient Greece with Pythagoras, whose thinking most likely helped to set the path toward the discovery of irrational numbers, and continue to the present day, pausing to ponder such questions as, 'Is the decimal expansion of an irrational number random?'"---Anna Kuchment, Scientific American"The Irrationals is a true mathematician's and historian's delight."---Robert Schaefer, New York Journal of Books"From its lively introduction straight through to a rousing finish this is a book which can be browsed for its collection of interesting facts or studied carefully by anyone with an interest in numbers and their history. . . . This is a wonderful book which should appeal to a broad audience. Its level of difficulty ranges nicely from ideas accessible to high school students to some very deep mathematics. Highly recommended!"---Richard Wilders, MAA Reviews"It is a book that can be warmly recommended to any mathematician or any reader who is generally interested in mathematics. One should be prepared to read some of the proofs. Skipping all the proofs would do injustice to the concept, leaving just a skinny skeleton, but skipping some of the most advanced ones is acceptable. The style, the well documented historical context and quotations mixed with references to modern situations make it a wonderful read."---A. Bultheel, European Mathematical Society"To follow the mathematical sections of the book, the reader should have at least a second-year undergraduate mathematical background, as the author does not shrink from providing some detailed arguments. However, the presentation of historical material is given in modern mathematical form. Many readers will encounter unfamiliar and surprising material in this field in which much remains to be explored."---E. J. Barbeau, Mathematical Reviews Clippings"This is a well-written book to which senior high school students who do not intend to study mathematics at university should be exposed in their last two years at school. The ideas are challenging and provocative, with numerous clear diagrams. The topics are presented with numerous examples, and unobtrusive humour which renders the exposition even more palatable. The book would be an ideal source of ideas in a mathematics course within a liberal arts college because it links not only with the historical source of mathematics problems, but also with some of the great ideas of philosophy."---A. G. Shannon, Notes on Number Theory and Discrete Mathematics"Mathematicians and serious students of mathematics will find much to admire in this book. . . . Every mathematician and student of mathematics with appropriate background will find [it] to be a valuable resource."---Pamela Gorkin, Mathematical Intelligencer

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntroduction to Number Theory covers the essential content of an introductory number theory course including divisibility and prime factorization, congruences, and quadratic reciprocity. The instructor may also choose from a collection of additional topics.Aligning with the trend toward smaller, essential texts in mathematics, the author strives for clarity of exposition. Proof techniques and proofs are presented slowly and clearly.The book employs a versatile approach to the use of algebraic ideas. Instructors who wish to put this material into a broader context may do so, though the author introduces these concepts in a non-essential way.A final chapter discusses algebraic systems (like the Gaussian integers) presuming no previous exposure to abstract algebra. Studying general systems helps students to realize unique factorization into primes is a more subtle idea than may at first appear; students will find this chapter interesting, fun and quite accTable of ContentsIntroduction. What is Number Theory? 1. Divisibility. 2. Congruences and Modular Arithmetic. 3. Cryptography: An Introduction. 4. Perfect Numbers. 5. Perfect Roots. 6. Quadratic Reciprocity. 7. Arithmetic Beyond Integers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince 1973, Galois theory has been educating undergraduate students on Galois groups and classical Galois theory. In Galois Theory, Fifth Edition, mathematician and popular science author Ian Stewart updates this well-established textbook for todayâs algebra students.New to the Fifth Edition Reorganised and revised Chapters 7 and 13 New exercises and examples Expanded, updated references Further historical material on figures besides Galois: Omar Khayyam, Vandermonde, Ruffini, and Abel A new final chapter discussing other directions in which Galois theory has developed: the inverse Galois problem, differential Galois theory, and a (very) brief introduction to p-adic Galois representations This bestseller continues to deliver a rigorous, yet engaging, treatment of the subject while keeping pace with current educational requirements. More than 200 exercises and a wealth of historical notes augment the proofs, formulas, and theorems.Trade Review"In mathematics, the fundamental theorem of Galois theory connects field theory and group theory, enabling certain mathematical problems in field theory to be reduced to group theory, making the problems simpler and easier to understand. The fifth updated edition of the textbook Galois Theory is an invaluable teaching text and resource for instructors of undergraduate mathematics students. Featuring more than 200 exercises and historical notes to enhance understanding of the proofs, formulas, and theorems, the fifth edition of Galois Theory is a "must-have" for university library mathematics collections, and highly recommended for instructors or for self-study"- Midwest Books ReviewPraise for the Previous Editions"… this book remains a highly recommended introduction to Galois theory along the more classical lines. It contains many exercises and a wealth of examples, including a pretty application of finite fields to the game solitaire. … provides readers with insight and historical perspective; it is written for readers who would like to understand this central part of basic algebra rather than for those whose only aim is collecting credit points."—Zentralblatt MATH 1322"This edition preserves and even extends one of the most popular features of the original edition: the historical introduction and the story of the fatal duel of Evariste Galois. … These historical notes should be of interest to students as well as mathematicians in general. … after more than 30 years, Ian Stewart’s Galois Theory remains a valuable textbook for algebra undergraduate students."—Zentralblatt MATH, 1049"The penultimate chapter is about algebraically closed fields and the last chapter, on transcendental numbers, contains ‘what-every-mathematician-should-see-at-least-once,’ the proof of transcendence of pi. … The book is designed for second- and third-year undergraduate courses. I will certainly use it."—EMS NewsletterTable of Contents1. Classical Algebra. 1.1. Complex Numbers. 1.2. Subfields and Subrings of the Complex Numbers. 1.3. Solving Equations. 1.4. Solution by Radicals. 2. The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. 2.1. Polynomials. 2.2. Fundamental Theorem of Algebra. 2.3. Implications 3. Factorisation of Polynomials. 3.1. The Euclidean Algorithm. 3.2 Irreducibility. 3.3. Gauss’s Lemma. 3.4. Eisenstein’s Criterion. 3.5. Reduction Modulo p. 3.6. Zeros of Polynomials. 4. Field Extensions. 4.1. Field Extensions. 4.2. Rational Expressions. 4.3. Simple Extensions. 5. Simple Extensions. 5.1. Algebraic and Transcendental Extensions. 5.2. The Minimal Polynomial. 5.3. Simple Algebraic Extensions. 5.4. Classifying Simple Extensions. 6. The Degree of an Extension. 6.1. Definition of the Degree. 6.2. The Tower Law. 6.3. Primitive Element Theorem. 7. Ruler-and-Compass Constructions. 7.1. Approximate Constructions and More General Instruments. 7.2. Constructions in C. 7.3. Specific Constructions. 7.4. Impossibility Proofs. 7.5. Construction From a Given Set of Points. 8. The Idea Behind Galois Theory. 8.1. A First Look at Galois Theory. 8.2. Galois Groups According to Galois. 8.3. How to Use the Galois Group. 8.4. The Abstract Setting. 8.5. Polynomials and Extensions. 8.6. The Galois Correspondence. 8.7. Diet Galois. 8.8. Natural Irrationalities. 9. Normality and Separability. 9.1. Splitting Fields. 9.2. Normality. 9.3. Separability. 10. Counting Principles. 10.1. Linear Independence of Monomorphisms. 11. Field Automorphisms. 11.1. K-Monomorphisms. 11.2. Normal Closures. 12. The Galois Correspondence. 12.1. The Fundamental Theorem of Galois Theory. 13. Worked Examples. 13.1. Examples of Galois Groups. 13.2. Discussion. 14. Solubility and Simplicity. 14.1. Soluble Groups. 14.2. Simple Groups. 14.3. Cauchy’s Theorem. 15. Solution by Radicals. 15.1. Radical Extensions. 15.2. An Insoluble Quintic. 15.3. Other Methods. 16. Abstract Rings and Fields. 16.1. Rings and Fields. 16.2. General Properties of Rings and Fields. 16.3. Polynomials Over General Rings. 16.4. The Characteristic of a Field. 16.5. Integral Domains. 17. Abstract Field Extensions and Galois Groups. 17.1. Minimal Polynomials. 17.2. Simple Algebraic Extensions. 17.3. Splitting Fields. 17.4. Normality. 17.5. Separability. 17.6. Galois Theory for Abstract Fields. 17.7. Conjugates and Minimal Polynomials. 17.8. The Primitive Element Theorem. 17.9. Algebraic Closure of a Field. 18. The General Polynomial Equation. 18.1. Transcendence Degree. 18.2. Elementary Symmetric Polynomials. 18.3. The General Polynomial. 18.5. Solving Equations of Degree Four or Less. 18.6. Explicit Formulas. 19. Finite Fields. 19.1. Structure of Finite Fields. 19.2. The Multiplicative Group. 19.3. Counterexample to the Primitive Element Theorem. 19.4. Application to Solitaire. 20. Regular Polygons. 20.1. What Euclid Knew. 20.2. Which Constructions are Possible? 20.3. Regular Polygons. 20.4. Fermat Numbers. 20.5. How to Construct a Regular 17-gon. 21. Circle Division. 21.1. Genuine Radicals. 21.2. Fifth Roots Revisited. 21.3. Vandermonde Revisited. 21.4. The General Case. 21.5. Cyclotomic Polynomials. 21.6. Galois Group of Q(ζ)= Q. 21.7. Constructions Using a Trisector. 22. Calculating Galois Groups. 22.1. Transitive Subgroups. 22.2. Bare Hands on the Cubic. 22.3. The Discriminant. 22.4. General Algorithm for the Galois Group. 23. Algebraically Closed Fields. 23.1. Ordered Fields and Their Extensions. 23.2. Sylow’s Theorem. 23.3. The Algebraic Proof. 24. Transcendental Numbers. 24.1. Irrationality. 24.2. Transcendence of e. 24.3. Transcendence of π. 25. What Did Galois Do or Know? 25.1. List of the Relevant Material. 25.2. The First Memoir. 25.3. What Galois Proved. 25.4. What is Galois Up To? 25.5. Alternating Groups, Especially A5. 25.6. Simple Groups Known to Galois. 25.7. Speculations about Proofs. 25.8. A5 is Unique. 26. Further Directions. 26.1. Inverse Galois Problem. 26.2. Differential Galois Theory. 26.3. p-adic Numbers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom a review of the second edition:"This book covers many interesting topics not usually covered in a present day undergraduate course, as well as certain basic topics such as the development of the calculus and the solution of polynomial equations. The fact that the topics are introduced in their historical contexts will enable students to better appreciate and understand the mathematical ideas involved...If one constructs a list of topics central to a history course, then they would closely resemble those chosen here."(David Parrott, Australian Mathematical Society)This book offers a collection of historical essays detailing a large variety of mathematical disciplines and issues; it's accessible to a broad audience. This third edition includes new chapters on simple groups and new sections on alternating groups and the Poincare conjecture. Many more exercises have been added as well as commentary that helps place the exercises in context.Trade Review“Mathematics and Its History is an original, engaging and effective book, which I think would be enjoyed by students, lay readers with the right background, or indeed mathematicians themselves.” (Danny Yee, Danny Yee's Book Reviews, dannyreviews.com, March, 2019)From the reviews of the third edition:"The author’s goal for Mathematics and its History is to provide a “bird’s-eye view of undergraduate mathematics.” (p. vii) In that regard it succeeds admirably. ... Mathematics and its History is a joy to read. The writing is clear, concise and inviting. The style is very different from a traditional text. ... The author has done a wonderful job of tying together the dominant themes of undergraduate mathematics. ... While Stillwell does a wonderful job of tying together seemingly unrelated areas of mathematics, it is possible to read each chapter independently. I would recommend this fine book for anyone who has an interest in the history of mathematics. For those who teach mathematics, it provides lots of information which could easily be used to enrich an opening lecture in most any undergraduate course. It would be an ideal gift for a department’s outstanding major or for the math club president. Pick it up at your peril — it is hard to put down!"(Richard Wilders, MAA Reviews)“I appreciate and recommend Stillwell’s presentation of mathematics and history written in a lively style. The author’s concept (history mostly as the means of approaching mathematics) remains a matter of interest for both the mathematician and the historian … .” (Rüdiger Thiele, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1207, 2011)From the reviews of the second edition:"This book covers many interesting topics not usually covered in a present day undergraduate course, as well as certain basic topics such as the development of the calculus and the solution of polynomial equations. The fact that the topics are introduced in their historical contexts will enable students to better appreciate and understand the mathematical ideas involved...If one constructs a list of topics central to a history course, then they would closely resemble those chosen here."(David Parrott, Australian Mathematical Society)"The book...is presented in a lively style without unnecessary detail. It is very stimulating and will be appreciated not only by students. Much attention is paid to problems and to the development of mathematics before the end of the nineteenth century... This book brings to the non-specialist interested in mathematics many interesting results. It can be recommended for seminars and will be enjoyed by the broad mathematical community." (European Mathematical Society)"Since Stillwell treats many topics, most mathematicians will learn a lot from this book as well as they will find pleasant and rather clear expositions of custom materials. The book is accessible to students that have already experienced calculus, algebra and geometry and will give them a good account of how the different branches of mathematics interact."(Denis Bonheure, Bulletin of the Belgian Society)Table of ContentsPreface to the Third Edition.- Preface to the Second Edition.- Preface to the First Edition.- The Theorem of Pythagoras.- Greek Geometry.- Greek Number Theory.- Infinity in Greek Mathematics.- Number Theory in Asia.- Polynomial Equations.- Analytic Geometry.- Projective Geometry.- Calculus.- Infinite Series.- The Number Theory Revival.- Elliptic Functions.- Mechanics.- Complex Numbers in Algebra.- Complex Numbers and Curves.- Complex Numbers and Functions.- Differential Geometry.- Non-Euclidean Geometry.- Group Theory.- Hypercomplex Numbers.- Algebraic Number Theory.- Topology.- Simple Groups.- Sets, Logic, and Computation.- Combinatorics.- Bibliography.- Index.-

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe most ubiquitous, and perhaps the most intriguing, number pattern in mathematics is the Fibonacci sequence. In this simple pattern beginning with two ones, each succeeding number is the sum of the two numbers immediately preceding it (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, ad infinitum). Far from being just a curiosity, this sequence recurs in structures found throughout nature - from the arrangement of whorls on a pinecone to the branches of certain plant stems. All of which is astounding evidence for the deep mathematical basis of the natural world. With admirable clarity, two veteran math educators take us on a fascinating tour of the many ramifications of the Fibonacci numbers. They begin with a brief history of a distinguished Italian discoverer, who, among other accomplishments, was responsible for popularizing the use of Arabic numerals in the West. Turning to botany, the authors demonstrate, through illustrative diagrams, the unbelievable connections between Fibonacci numbers and natural forms (pineapples, sunflowers, and daisies are just a few examples). In art, architecture, the stock market, and other areas of society and culture, they point out numerous examples of the Fibonacci sequence as well as its derivative, the "golden ratio." And of course in mathematics, as the authors amply demonstrate, there are almost boundless applications in probability, number theory, geometry, algebra, and Pascal's triangle, to name a few.Accessible and appealing to even the most math-phobic individual, this fun and enlightening book allows the reader to appreciate the elegance of mathematics and its amazing applications in both natural and cultural settings.Trade Review""This is a wonderful introduction...You may end up amazed and incredulous." - Leon M. Lederman, Nobel Laureate“The mathematics in this book is a delight: surprising, insightful, and comprehensive… the result is by turns rigorous, entertaining, and eye-poppingly speculative.”-New Scientist “…a work that, although aimed at a general audience and presupposing no knowledge of mathematics beyond the high school precalculus level, succeeds in entertaining all audiences…Educators, as well as the mathematically curious, are encouraged to pick up this volume. The discussions of Fibonacci numbers in nature, art, architecture, and music are very thorough…highly recommended.” -Choice“The authors have breathed life into what could be considered a fairly dry subject by demonstrating how commonplace items make use of the Fibonacci numbers…there is a great deal of math involved but taken step at a time, it is not that difficult to understand and this understanding leads to a an even greater appreciation of everything from a flower garden to classical music. Overall, this is an interesting if challenging read for the layperson and a gold mine for the mathematically inclined.”-Monsters and Critics “…the authors have presented a compelling and well-developed book, and one that might well make converts out of some hard-core math phobics…an elegant book that enhances their argument that mathematics is ‘the queen of sciences'.”-Education Update “…delightful…accessible to anyone who enjoys or enjoyed high school mathematics. Mathematics teachers from middle school through college will find this book fun to read and useful in the classroom. The authors consider more properties, relationships, and applications of the Fibonacci numbers than most other sources do…I enjoyed reading this book…a valuable addition to the mathematical literature.”-Mathematics Teacher

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe all learned that the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter is called pi and that the value of this algebraic symbol is roughly 3.14. What we weren't told, though, is that behind this seemingly mundane fact is a world of mystery, which has fascinated mathematicians from ancient times to the present. Simply put, pi is weird. Mathematicians call it a "transcendental number" because its value cannot be calculated by any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and square root extraction. In this delightful layperson's introduction to one of math's most interesting phenomena, Drs. Posamentier and Lehmann review pi's history from prebiblical times to the 21st century, the many amusing and mind-boggling ways of estimating pi over the centuries, quirky examples of obsessing about pi (including an attempt to legislate its exact value), and useful applications of pi in everyday life, including statistics.This enlightening and stimulating approach to mathematics will entertain lay readers while improving their mathematical literacy.Trade Review""There is something for everyone in this book and everyone should read this book because it will be for some, a revelation that mathematics can be fun and beautiful, something they may not have realized during earlier encounters. Math teachers will find a host of ideas to enrich their instruction since Pi, as you know, comes up everywhere. This book is highly recommended and should provide a major step toward increasing the popularity of mathematics.”-Education Update “A joyful exploration…written in a conversational style reminiscent of children's science books. The writing is clear and crisp and draws the reader into the author's enthusiasm…I highly recommend [this book] to high school and college students and teachers of both. The book captures the excitement and fascination of pi and can serve as a starting point for more detailed discussion.”-Mathematics Teacher“I enjoyed reading the book…for its many applications, curiosities, and anecdotes.”-Science “Readers curious about pi could start here…Recommended.” -Choice

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe book is based on lecture notes of a course 'from elementary number theory to an introduction to matrix theory' given at the Technion to gifted high school students. It is problem based, and covers topics in undergraduate mathematics that can be introduced in high school through solving challenging problems. These topics include Number theory, Set Theory, Group Theory, Matrix Theory, and applications to cryptography and search engines.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat are numbers? Where do they come from? Are there different kings of number? Why was Pythagoras fascinated by triangular and square numbers? Is there a link between perfect numbers and primes? In this enlightening illustrated pocket book, mathemagician Oliver Linton reveals the wonderful world of numbers, visiting the questions and answers of great number theorists along the way, from Euclid to Euler, Fibonacci to Fermat, and Archimedes to Gauss. No calculator needed! WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

Read more less

Book SynopsisProvides an introduction to number theory at the undergraduate level, emphasizing geometric aspects of the subject. The geometric approach is exploited to explore in depth the classical topic of quadratic forms with integer coefficients, a central topic of the book.Table of Contents A preview The Farey diagram Continued fractions Symmetries of the Farey diagram Quadratic forms Classification of quadratic forms Representations by quadratic forms The class group for quadratic forms Quadratic fields Tables Glossary of nonstandard terminology Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Matrices 2. Vector Spaces 3. Linear Transformations 4. Eigenvalues, Eigenvectors, and Differential Equations 5. Euclidean Inner Product Appendix A. Determinants B. Jordan Canonical Forms C. Markov Chains D. The Simplex Method, an Example E. A Word on Numerical Techniques and Technology Answers And Hints To Selected Problems

Read more less

Book SynopsisProblems.- Arithmetic Functions.- Primes in Arithmetic Progressions.- The Prime Number Theorem.- The Method of Contour Integration.- Functional Equations.- Hadamard Products.- Explicit Formulas.- The Selberg Class.- Sieve Methods.- p-adic Methods.- Equidistribution.- Solutions.- Arithmetic Functions.- Primes in Arithmetic Progressions.- The Prime Number Theorem.- The Method of Contour Integration.- Functional Equations.- Hadamard Products.- Explicit Formulas.- The Selberg Class.- Sieve Methods.- p-adic Methods.- Equidistribution.Trade ReviewM.R. MurtyProblems in Analytic Number Theory"The reviewer strongly approves of the problem-based approach to learning, and recommends this book to any student of analytic number theory."—MATHEMATICAL REVIEWSFrom the reviews of the second edition:“This expanded and corrected second edition of this useful and interesting book has a new chapter on the topic of equidistribution. … this monograph gives important results and techniques for specific topics, together with many exercises. … I do enjoy this book … and I imagine when I take the graduate course in the subject that it will be of a greater benefit, which is why I offered such a high rating.” (Philosophy, Religion and Science Book Reviews, bookinspections.wordpress.com, July, 2013)"The second edition of the book has eleven chapters … . the book can be used both as a problem book (as its title shows) and also as a textbook (as the series in which the book is published shows). … is ideal as a text for a first course in analytic number theory, either at the senior undergraduate or the graduate level. … I believe that this book will be very useful for students, researchers and professors. It is well written … ." (Mehdi Hassani, MathDL, April, 2008)Table of ContentsProblems.- Arithmetic Functions.- Primes in Arithmetic Progressions.- The Prime Number Theorem.- The Method of Contour Integration.- Functional Equations.- Hadamard Products.- Explicit Formulas.- The Selberg Class.- Sieve Methods.- p-adic Methods.- Equidistribution.- Solutions.- Arithmetic Functions.- Primes in Arithmetic Progressions.- The Prime Number Theorem.- The Method of Contour Integration.- Functional Equations.- Hadamard Products.- Explicit Formulas.- The Selberg Class.- Sieve Methods.- p-adic Methods.- Equidistribution.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume uses a unified approach to representation theory and automorphic forms.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Ramakrishnan, D.: Irreducibility and Cuspidality.-Ikeda, T.: On Liftings of Holomorphic Modular Forms.-Kobayashi, T.: Multiplicity-free Theorems of the Restrictions of Unitary Highest Weight Modules with respect to Reductive Symmetric Pairs.-Miller, S., Schmid, W.: The Rankin--Selberg Method for Automorphic Distributions.- Shahidi, F.: Langlands Functoriality Conjecture and Number Theory.- Yoshikawa, K.: Discriminant of certain K3 surfaces.- References.- Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book discusses regular powers and symbolic powers of ideals from three perspectives– algebra, combinatorics and geometry – and examines the interactions between them. It invites readers to explore the evolution of the set of associated primes of higher and higher powers of an ideal and explains the evolution of ideals associated with combinatorial objects like graphs or hypergraphs in terms of the original combinatorial objects. It also addresses similar questions concerning our understanding of the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity of powers of combinatorially defined ideals in terms of the associated combinatorial data. From a more geometric point of view, the book considers how the relations between symbolic and regular powers can be interpreted in geometrical terms. Other topics covered include aspects of Waring type problems, symbolic powers of an ideal and their invariants (e.g., the Waldschmidt constant, the resurgence), and the persistence of associated primes.Trade Review“This is a very interesting monograph providing a fast introduction to different fields of research devoted to modern aspects and develompents of commutative algebra, algebraic geometry, combinatorics, etc.” (Piotr Pokora, zbMATH 1445.13001, 2020)Table of Contents- Part I Associated Primes of Powers of Ideals - Associated Primes of Powers of Ideals. - Associated Primes of Powers of Squarefree Monomial Ideals. - Final Comments and Further Reading. - Part II Regularity of Powers of Ideals. - Regularity of Powers of Ideals and the Combinatorial Framework. - Problems, Questions, and Inductive Techniques. - Examples of the Inductive Techniques. - Final Comments and Further Reading. - Part III The Containment Problem. - The Containment Problem: Background. - The Containment Problem. - The Waldschmidt Constant of Squarefree Monomial Ideals. - Symbolic Defect. - Final Comments and Further Reading. - Part IV Unexpected Hypersurfaces. - Unexpected Hypersurfaces. - Final Comments and Further Reading.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis open access textbook presents a comprehensive treatment of the arithmetic theory of quaternion algebras and orders, a subject with applications in diverse areas of mathematics. Written to be accessible and approachable to the graduate student reader, this text collects and synthesizes results from across the literature. Numerous pathways offer explorations in many different directions, while the unified treatment makes this book an essential reference for students and researchers alike. Divided into five parts, the book begins with a basic introduction to the noncommutative algebra underlying the theory of quaternion algebras over fields, including the relationship to quadratic forms. An in-depth exploration of the arithmetic of quaternion algebras and orders follows. The third part considers analytic aspects, starting with zeta functions and then passing to an idelic approach, offering a pathway from local to global that includes strong approximation. Applications of unit groups of quaternion orders to hyperbolic geometry and low-dimensional topology follow, relating geometric and topological properties to arithmetic invariants. Arithmetic geometry completes the volume, including quaternionic aspects of modular forms, supersingular elliptic curves, and the moduli of QM abelian surfaces. Quaternion Algebras encompasses a vast wealth of knowledge at the intersection of many fields. Graduate students interested in algebra, geometry, and number theory will appreciate the many avenues and connections to be explored. Instructors will find numerous options for constructing introductory and advanced courses, while researchers will value the all-embracing treatment. Readers are assumed to have some familiarity with algebraic number theory and commutative algebra, as well as the fundamentals of linear algebra, topology, and complex analysis. More advanced topics call upon additional background, as noted, though essential concepts and motivation are recapped throughout.Trade Review“The book contains a huge amount of interesting and very well-chosen exercises. … This ‘encyclopedic’ character of the text may play an important role both as a guide to some special topics and as a source of information for both students and those whose research in related fields creates a need to familiarize themselves with the knowledge of the case when quaternion algebras are relevant.” (Juliusz Brzeziński, Mathematical Reviews, September, 2022)Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2. Beginnings.- 3. Involutions.- 4. Quadratic Forms.- 5. Ternary Quadratic Forms.- 6. Characteristic 2.- 7. Simple Algebras.- 8. Simple Algebras and Involutions.- 9. Lattices and Integral Quadratic Forms.- 10. Orders.- 11. The Hurwitz Order.- 12. Ternary Quadratic Forms Over Local Fields.- 13. Quaternion Algebras Over Local Fields.- 14. Quaternion Algebras Over Global Fields.- 15. Discriminants.- 16. Quaternion Ideals and Invertability.- 17. Classes of Quaternion Ideals.- 18. Picard Group.- 19. Brandt Groupoids.- 20. Integral Representation Theory.- 21. Hereditary and Extremal Orders.- 22. Ternary Quadratic Forms.- 23. Quaternion Orders.- 24. Quaternion Orders: Second Meeting.- 25. The Eichler Mass Formula.- 26. Classical Zeta Functions.- 27. Adelic Framework.- 28. Strong Approximation.- 29. Idelic Zeta Functions.- 30. Optimal Embeddings.- 31. Selectivity.- 32. Unit Groups.- 33. Hyperbolic Plane.- 34. Discrete Group Actions.- 35. Classical Modular Group.- 36. Hyperbolic Space.- 37. Fundamental Domains.- 38. Quaternionic Arithmetic Groups.- 39. Volume Formula.- 40. Classical Modular Forms.- 41. Brandt Matrices.- 42. Supersingular Elliptic Curves.- 43. Abelian Surfaces with QM.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book develops a new theory in convex geometry, generalizing positive bases and related to Carathéordory’s Theorem by combining convex geometry, the combinatorics of infinite subsets of lattice points, and the arithmetic of transfer Krull monoids (the latter broadly generalizing the ubiquitous class of Krull domains in commutative algebra)This new theory is developed in a self-contained way with the main motivation of its later applications regarding factorization. While factorization into irreducibles, called atoms, generally fails to be unique, there are various measures of how badly this can fail. Among the most important is the elasticity, which measures the ratio between the maximum and minimum number of atoms in any factorization. Having finite elasticity is a key indicator that factorization, while not unique, is not completely wild. Via the developed material in convex geometry, we characterize when finite elasticity holds for any Krull domain with finitely generated class group $G$, with the results extending more generally to transfer Krull monoids. This book is aimed at researchers in the field but is written to also be accessible for graduate students and general mathematicians.Table of Contents- 1. Introduction. - 2. Preliminaries and General Notation. - 3. Asymptotically Filtered Sequences, Encasement and Boundedness. - 4. Elementary Atoms, Positive Bases and Reay Systems. - 5. Oriented Reay Systems. - 6. Virtual Reay Systems. - 7. Finitary Sets. - 8. Factorization Theory.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book studies the modules arising in Fourier expansions of automorphic forms, namely Fourier term modules on SU(2,1), the smallest rank one Lie group with a non-abelian unipotent subgroup. It considers the “abelian” Fourier term modules connected to characters of the maximal unipotent subgroups of SU(2,1), and also the “non-abelian” modules, described via theta functions. A complete description of the submodule structure of all Fourier term modules is given, with a discussion of the consequences for Fourier expansions of automorphic forms, automorphic forms with exponential growth included.These results can be applied to prove a completeness result for Poincaré series in spaces of square integrable automorphic forms.Aimed at researchers and graduate students interested in automorphic forms, harmonic analysis on Lie groups, and number-theoretic topics related to Poincaré series, the book will also serve as a basic reference on spectral expansion with Fourier-Jacobi coefficients. Only a background in Lie groups and their representations is assumed.Table of Contents- 1. Introduction. - 2. The Lie Group SU(2,1) and Subgroups. - 3. Fourier Term Modules. - 4. Submodule Structure. - 5. Application to Automorphic Forms.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis unique book explores the world of q, known technically as basic hypergeometric series, and represents the author’s personal and life-long study—inspired by Ramanujan—of aspects of this broad topic. While the level of mathematical sophistication is graduated, the book is designed to appeal to advanced undergraduates as well as researchers in the field. The principal aims are to demonstrate the power of the methods and the beauty of the results. The book contains novel proofs of many results in the theory of partitions and the theory of representations, as well as associated identities. Though not specifically designed as a textbook, parts of it may be presented in course work; it has many suitable exercises.After an introductory chapter, the power of q-series is demonstrated with proofs of Lagrange’s four-squares theorem and Gauss’s two-squares theorem. Attention then turns to partitions and Ramanujan’s partition congruences. Several proofs of these are given throughout the book. Many chapters are devoted to related and other associated topics. One highlight is a simple proof of an identity of Jacobi with application to string theory. On the way, we come across the Rogers–Ramanujan identities and the Rogers–Ramanujan continued fraction, the famous “forty identities” of Ramanujan, and the representation results of Jacobi, Dirichlet and Lorenz, not to mention many other interesting and beautiful results. We also meet a challenge of D.H. Lehmer to give a formula for the number of partitions of a number into four squares, prove a “mysterious” partition theorem of H. Farkas and prove a conjecture of R.Wm. Gosper “which even Erdős couldn’t do.” The book concludes with a look at Ramanujan’s remarkable tau function.Trade Review“This book provides an introduction to q-series that would be accessible to calculus students, its main purpose is to offer beautiful theorems to the reader along with, in many instances, equally beautiful proofs that cannot be found elsewhere, except possibly in the author’s own papers. … those who already love q-series will find much to admire and enjoy in Hirschhorn’s book The Power of q. Those desiring an introduction to the subject can also enjoy it.” (Bruce Berndt, The American Mathematical Monthly, Vol. 126 (2), April, 2019)Table of ContentsForeword.- Preface.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Jacobi's two-squares and four-squares theorems.- 3. Ramanujan's partition congruences.- 4. Ramanujan's partition congruences— a uniform proof.- 5. Ramanujan's "most beautiful identity".- 6. Ramanujan's partition congruences for powers of 5.- 7. Ramanujan's partition congruences for powers of 7.- 8. Ramanujan's 5-dissection of Euler's product.- 9. A "difficult and deep" identity of Ramanujan.- 10. The quintuple product identity.- 11. Winquist's identity.- 12. The crank of a partition.- 13. Two more proofs of p(11n + 6) ≡ 0 (mod 11), and more.- 14. Partitions where even parts come in two colours.- 15. The Rogers–Ramanujan identities and the Rogers–Ramanujan continued fraction.- 16. The series expansion of the Rogers–Ramanujan continued fraction.- 17. The 2- and 4-dissections of Ramanujan’s continued fraction and its reciprocal.- 18. The series expansion of the Ramanujan-Gollnitz-Gordon continued fraction and its reciprocal.- 19. Jacobi’s “aequatio identica satis abstrusa”.- 20. Two modular equations.- 21. A letter from Fitzroy House.- 22. The cubic functions of Borwein, Borwein and Garvan.- 23. Some classical results on representations.- 24. Further classical results on representations.- 25. Further results on representations.- 26. Even more representation results.- 27. Representation results and Lambert series.- 28. The Jordan–Kronecker identity.- 29. Melham’s identities.- 30. Partitions into four squares.- 31. Partitions into four distinct squares of equal parity.- 32. Partitions with odd parts distinct.- 33. Partitions with even parts distinct.- 34. Some identities involving phi(q) and psi(q).- 35. Some useful parametrisations.- 36. Overpartitions.- 37. Bipartitions with odd parts distinct.- 38. Overcubic partitions.- 39. Generalised Frobenius partitions.- 40. Some modular equations of Ramanujan.- 41. Identities involving k = qR(q)R(q2)2.- 42. Identities involving v=q1/2(q,q7;q8)infinity/(q3,q5;q8)infinity.- 43. Ramanujan's tau function.- Appendix.- Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis textbook offers a unique introduction to classical Galois theory through many concrete examples and exercises of varying difficulty (including computer-assisted exercises). In addition to covering standard material, the book explores topics related to classical problems such as Galois’ theorem on solvable groups of polynomial equations of prime degrees, Nagell's proof of non-solvability by radicals of quintic equations, Tschirnhausen's transformations, lunes of Hippocrates, and Galois' resolvents. Topics related to open conjectures are also discussed, including exercises related to the inverse Galois problem and cyclotomic fields. The author presents proofs of theorems, historical comments and useful references alongside the exercises, providing readers with a well-rounded introduction to the subject and a gateway to further reading. A valuable reference and a rich source of exercises with sample solutions, this book will be useful to both students and lecturers. Its original concept makes it particularly suitable for self-study.Trade Review“This book contains a collection of exercises in Galois theory. … The book provides the readers with a solid exercise-based introduction to classical Galois theory; it will be useful for self-study or for supporting a lecture course.” (Franz Lemmermeyer, zbMATH 1396.12001, 2018)Table of Contents1 Solving algebraic equations.- 2 Field extensions.- 3 Polynomials and irreducibility.- 4 Algebraic extensions.- 5 Splitting fields.- 6 Automorphism groups of fields.- 7 Normal extensions.- 8 Separable extensions.- 9 Galois extensions.- 10 Cyclotomic extensions.- 11 Galois modules.- 12 Solvable groups.- 13 Solvability of equations.- 14 Geometric constructions.- 15 Computing Galois groups.- 16 Supplementary problems.- 17 Proofs of the theorems.- 18 Hints and answers.- 19 Examples and selected solutions.- Appendix: Groups, rings and fields.- References.- List of notations.- Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis1. People were already interested in prime numbers in ancient times, and the first result concerning the distribution of primes appears in Euclid's Elemen­ ta, where we find a proof of their infinitude, now regarded as canonical. One feels that Euclid's argument has its place in The Book, often quoted by the late Paul ErdOs, where the ultimate forms of mathematical arguments are preserved. Proofs of most other results on prime number distribution seem to be still far away from their optimal form and the aim of this book is to present the development of methods with which such problems were attacked in the course of time. This is not a historical book since we refrain from giving biographical details of the people who have played a role in this development and we do not discuss the questions concerning why each particular person became in­ terested in primes, because, usually, exact answers to them are impossible to obtain. Our idea is to present the development of the theory of the distribu­ tion of prime numbers in the period starting in antiquity and concluding at the end of the first decade of the 20th century. We shall also present some later developments, mostly in short comments, although the reader will find certain exceptions to that rule. The period of the last 80 years was full of new ideas (we mention only the applications of trigonometrical sums or the advent of various sieve methods) and certainly demands a separate book.Trade Review“This is a most welcome addition to the literature on prime numbers, zeta and L-functions and arithmetical functions. … The style is clear, with just the right amount of details. Each chapter closes with carefully chosen Exercises. Novices and experts alike will find that this a book of highest quality, which sets a standard for future works dealing with the history of Mathematics.” (A.Ivić, zbMATH 0942.11002, 2021)Table of Contents1. Early Times.- 2. Dirichlet’s Theorem on Primes in Arithmetic Progressions.- 3. ?ebysev’s Theorem.- 4. Riemann’s Zeta-function and Dirichlet Series.- 5. The Prime Number Theorem.- 6. The Turn of the Century.- References.- Author Index.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is a book about Mathematics but not a book of Mathematics. It is an attempt, between the serious and facetious, of conveying the idea that a mathematical thought is the result of different experiences, geographical and social factors. Even though it is not clear when Mathematics had started, it is evident that it had been used at an early stage of human history and by ancient Babylonians and Egyptians who have already developed a sophisticated corpus of mathematical items, which were the workhorse tools in engineering, navigation, trades and astronomy. The book sweeps across the mathematical minds of the Greek and Arab traditions, concepts by Assyro-Babylonians, and ancient Indian Vedic culture. The mathematical mind has modeled the evolution of societies and has been modeled by it. It is now in the midst of a great revolution and it is not clear where it will bring us. The current new epoch needs new mathematical tools and, above this, a new way of looking at Mathematics. This book tells the tale of what went on and what might go on.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book uses the beautiful theory of elliptic curves to introduce the reader to some of the deeper aspects of number theory. It assumes only a knowledge of the basic algebra, complex analysis, and topology usually taught in first-year graduate courses.An elliptic curve is a plane curve defined by a cubic polynomial. Although the problem of finding the rational points on an elliptic curve has fascinated mathematicians since ancient times, it was not until 1922 that Mordell proved that the points form a finitely generated group. There is still no proven algorithm for finding the rank of the group, but in one of the earliest important applications of computers to mathematics, Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer discovered a relation between the rank and the numbers of points on the curve computed modulo a prime. Chapter IV of the book proves Mordell's theorem and explains the conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer.Every elliptic curve over the rational numbers has an L-series attached to it.Hasse conjectured that this L-series satisfies a functional equation, and in 1955 Taniyama suggested that Hasse's conjecture could be proved by showing that the L-series arises from a modular form. This was shown to be correct by Wiles (and others) in the 1990s, and, as a consequence, one obtains a proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. Chapter V of the book is devoted to explaining this work.The first three chapters develop the basic theory of elliptic curves.For this edition, the text has been completely revised and updated.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAround 1637, the French jurist Pierre de Fermat scribbled in the margin of his copy of the book Arithmetica what came to be known as Fermat''s Last Theorem, the most famous question in mathematical history. Stating that it is impossible to split a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into two fourth powers, or any higher power into two like powers, but not leaving behind the marvelous proof he claimed to have had, Fermat prompted three and a half centuries of mathematical inquiry which culminated only recently with the proof of the theorem by Andrew Wiles. This book offers the first serious treatment of Fermat''s Last Theorem since Wiles''s proof. It is based on a series of lectures given by the author to celebrate Wiles''s achievement, with each chapter explaining a separate area of number theory as it pertains to Fermat''s Last Theorem. Together, they provide a concise history of the theorem as well as a brief discussion of Wiles''s proof and its implications. Requiring liTable of ContentsQuasi-Historical Introduction. Remarks on Unique Factorization. Elementary Methods. Kummer's Arguments. Why Do We Believe Wiles? More Quasi-History. Diophantus and Fermat. A Child's Introduction to Elliptic Functions. Local and Global. Curves. Modular Forms. The Modularity Conjecture. The Functional Equation. Zeta Functions and L -Series. The ABC-Conjecture. Heights. Class Number of Imaginary Quadratic Number Fields. Wiles' Proof. Appendices. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDevised in the 19th century, Gauss and Jacobi Sums are classical formulas that form the basis for contemporary research in many of today's sciences. This book offers readers a solid grounding on the origin of these abstract, general theories.Table of ContentsGauss Sums. Jacobi Sums and Cyclotomic Numbers. Evaluation of Jacobi Sums Over Fp. Determination of Gauss Sums Over Fp. Difference Sets. Jacobsthal Sums Over Fp. Residuacity. Reciprocity Laws. Congruences for Binomial Coefficients. Diagonal Equations over Finite Fields. Gauss Sums over Fq. Eisenstein Sums. Brewer Sums. A General Eisenstein Reciprocity Law. Research Problems. Bibliography. Notation. Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis unique book explains in a straightforward fashion how quadratic reciprocity relates to some of the most powerful tools of modern number theory such as adeles, metaplectic groups, and representation, demonstrating how this abstract language actually makes sense.Trade Review"Provides number theorists interested in analytic methods applied to reciprocity laws with an opportunity to explore the work of Hecke, Weil, and Kubota and their Fourier-analytic treatments..." (SciTech Book News, Vol. 24, No. 4, December 2000) "The content of the book is very important to number theory and is well-prepared...this book will be found to be very interesting and useful by number theorists in various areas." (Mathematical Reviews, 2002a)Table of ContentsHecke's Proof of Quadratic Reciprocity. Two Equivalent Forms of Quadratic Reciprocity. The Stone-Von Neumann Theorem. Weil's "Acta" Paper. Kubota and Cohomology. The Algebraic Agreement Between the Formalisms of Weil and Kubota. Hecke's Challenge: General Reciprocity and Fourier Analysis on the March. Bibliography. Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA complete, self-contained introduction to a powerful and resurging mathematical discipline. Combinatorial Geometry presents and explains with complete proofs some of the most important results and methods of this relatively young mathematical discipline, started by Minkowski, Fejes Toth, Rogers, and Erd???s.Table of ContentsARRANGEMENTS OF CONVEX SETS. Geometry of Numbers. Approximation of a Convex Set by Polygons. Packing and Covering with Congruent Convex Discs. Lattice Packing and Lattice Covering. The Method of Cell Decomposition. Methods of Blichfeldt and Rogers. Efficient Random Arrangements. Circle Packings and Planar Graphs. ARRANGEMENTS OF POINTS AND LINES. Extremal Graph Theory. Repeated Distances in Space. Arrangement of Lines. Applications of the Bounds on Incidences. More on Repeated Distances. Geometric Graphs. Epsilon Nets and Transversals of Hypergraphs. Geometric Discrepancy. Hints to Exercises. Bibliography. Indexes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisElliptic Tales describes the latest developments in number theory by looking at one of the most exciting unsolved problems in contemporary mathematics--the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture. In this book, Avner Ash and Robert Gross guide readers through the mathematics they need to understand this captivating problem. The key to the conjectureTrade Review"The authors present their discussion in an informal, sometimes playful manner and with detail that will appeal to an audience with a basic understanding of calculus. This book will captivate math enthusiasts as well as readers curious about an intriguing and still unanswered question."--Margaret Dominy, Library Journal "Minimal prerequisites and its clear writing make this book (which even has a few exercises) a great choice for a seminar for mathematics majors, who at some point should have such an excursion to one of the frontiers of mathematics."--Mathematics Magazine "The authors of Elliptic Tales do a superb job in demonstrating the approach that mathematicians take when they confront unsolved problems involving elliptic curves."--Sungkon Chang, Times Higher Education "One cannot help being impressed, in reading the book and pursuing a few of the references, by the magnitude of the enterprise it chronicles."--James Case, SIAM News "Ash and Gross thoroughly explain the statement and significance of the linchpin Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjection... [A]sh and Gross deliver ample and current intellectual and technical substance."--Choice "I would envision this book as an excellent text for an undergraduate 'capstone' course in mathematics; the book lends itself to independent reading, but topics may be explored in much greater depth and rigor in the classroom. Additionally, the book indeed brings together ideas from calculus, complex variables and algebra, showing how a single mathematical research question may require an integrated understanding of the various branches of mathematics. Thus, it encourages students to reinforce their understanding of these various fields, while simultaneously introducing them to an open question in mathematics and a vibrant field of study."--Lisa A. Berger, Mathematical Reviews Clippings "The book is very pleasantly written, and in my opinion, the authors have done an admirable job in giving an idea to non-experts what the Birch-Swinnerton Dyer conjecture is about."--Jan-Hendrik Evertse, Zentralblatt MATH "The book's most important contributions ... are the sense of discovery, invention, and insight into the habits of mind used by mathematicians on this journey. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be challenged mathematically or who wants to experience mathematics as creative and exciting."--Jacqueline Coomes, Mathematics Teacher "[T]his book is a wonderful introduction to what is arguably one of the most important mathematical problems of our time and for that reason alone it deserves to be widely read. Another reason to recommend this book is the opportunity to share in the readily apparent joy the authors have for their subject and the beauty they see in it, not least because ... joy and beauty are the most important reasons for doing mathematics, irrespective of its dollar value."--Rob Ashmore, Mathematics Today "This book has many nice aspects. Ash and Gross give a truly stimulating introduction to elliptic curves and the BSD conjecture for undergraduate students. The main achievement is to make a relative easy exposition of these so technical topics."--Jonathan Sanchez-Hernandez, Mathematical SocietyTable of ContentsPreface xiii Acknowledgments xix Prologue 1 PART I. DEGREE Chapter 1. Degree of a Curve 13 1.Greek Mathematics 13 2.Degree 14 3.Parametric Equations 20 4.Our Two Definitions of Degree Clash 23 Chapter 2. Algebraic Closures 26 1.Square Roots of Minus One 26 2.Complex Arithmetic 28 3.Rings and Fields 30 4.Complex Numbers and Solving Equations 32 5.Congruences 34 6.Arithmetic Modulo a Prime 38 7.Algebraic Closure 38 Chapter 3. The Projective Plane 42 1.Points at Infinity 42 2.Projective Coordinates on a Line 46 3.Projective Coordinates on a Plane 50 4.Algebraic Curves and Points at Infinity 54 5.Homogenization of Projective Curves 56 6.Coordinate Patches 61 Chapter 4. Multiplicities and Degree 67 1.Curves as Varieties 67 2.Multiplicities 69 3.Intersection Multiplicities 72 4.Calculus for Dummies 76 Chapter 5. B'ezout's Theorem 82 1.A Sketch of the Proof 82 2.An Illuminating Example 88 PART II. ELLIPTIC CURVES AND ALGEBRA Chapter 6. Transition to Elliptic Curves 95 Chapter 7. Abelian Groups 100 1.How Big Is Infinity? 100 2.What Is an Abelian Group? 101 3.Generations 103 4.Torsion 106 5.Pulling Rank 108 Appendix: An Interesting Example of Rank and Torsion 110 Chapter 8. Nonsingular Cubic Equations 116 1.The Group Law 116 2.Transformations 119 3.The Discriminant 121 4.Algebraic Details of the Group Law 122 5.Numerical Examples 125 6.Topology 127 7.Other Important Facts about Elliptic Curves 131 5.Two Numerical Examples 133 Chapter 9. Singular Cubics 135 1.The Singular Point and the Group Law 135 2.The Coordinates of the Singular Point 136 3.Additive Reduction 137 4.Split Multiplicative Reduction 139 5.Nonsplit Multiplicative Reduction 141 6.Counting Points 145 7.Conclusion 146 Appendix A: Changing the Coordinates of the Singular Point 146 Appendix B: Additive Reduction in Detail 147 Appendix C: Split Multiplicative Reduction in Detail 149 Appendix D: Nonsplit Multiplicative Reduction in Detail 150 Chapter 10. Elliptic Curves over Q 152 1.The Basic Structure of the Group 152 2.Torsion Points 153 3.Points of Infinite Order 155 4.Examples 156 PART III. ELLIPTIC CURVES AND ANALYSIS Chapter 11. Building Functions 161 1.Generating Functions 161 2.Dirichlet Series 167 3.The Riemann Zeta-Function 169 4.Functional Equations 171 5.Euler Products 174 6.Build Your Own Zeta-Function 176 Chapter 12. Analytic Continuation 181 1.A Difference that Makes a Difference 181 2.Taylor Made 185 3.Analytic Functions 187 4.Analytic Continuation 192 5.Zeroes, Poles, and the Leading Coefficient 196 Chapter 13. L-functions 199 1.A Fertile Idea 199 2.The Hasse-Weil Zeta-Function 200 3.The L-Function of a Curve 205 4.The L-Function of an Elliptic Curve 207 5.Other L-Functions 212 Chapter 14. Surprising Properties of L-functions 215 1.Compare and Contrast 215 2.Analytic Continuation 220 3.Functional Equation 221 Chapter 15. The Conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer 225 1.How Big Is Big? 225 2.Influences of the Rank on the Np's 228 3.How Small Is Zero? 232 4.The BSD Conjecture 236 5.Computational Evidence for BSD 238 6.The Congruent Number Problem 240 Epilogue 245 Retrospect 245 Where DoWe Go from Here? 247 Bibliography 249 Index 251

Read more less

Book SynopsisNumbers and politics are inter-related at almost every level--be it the abstract geometry of understandings of territory, the explosion of population statistics and measures of economic standards, the popularity of Utilitarianism, Rawlsian notions of justice, the notion of value, or simply the very idea of political science. Time and space are reduced to co-ordinates, illustrating a very real take on the political: a way of measuring and controlling it.This book engages with the relation between politics and number through a reading, exegesis and critique of the work of Martin Heidegger. The importance of mathematics and the role played by the understandings of calculation is a recurrent concern in his writing and is regularly contrasted with understandings of speech and language. This book provides the most detailed analysis of the relation between language, politics and mathematics in Heidegger''s work. It insists that questions of language and calculation in Heidegger are inherently political, and that a far broader range of his work is concerned with politics than is usually admitted.Trade ReviewElden should be applauded for writing with such sharp focus, while simultaneously never reducing the genuine complexity of Heidegger's thought. Contemporary Political Theory Elden is a careful scholar, who writes in a clear, accessible prose. He has identified all the important texts germane to his argument and provides a good rationale to the volume as proposed. -- Dr Laurence Hemming, Heythrop College, University of London I wholeheartedly recommend this book with its rich lode of expositions of Heidegger's texts on the political in its ancient, modern and postmodern manifestations. -- Professor Theodore Kisiel, Northern Illinois University Stuart Elden's Speaking Against Number takes full advantage of the most recent volumes of Heidegger's previously unpublished lectures and manuscripts to develop a rich new approach to his political thought. The resulting book should be widely read, especially by everyone who thinks they already know all there is to know about this topic. -- Professor Robert Bernasconi, University of Memphis This volume shows wide-ranging and sound scholarship. Elden has done a superior job of weaving together many important strands of Heidegger's thought. -- Richard Polt Continental Philosophy Review Elden's book manages to reinvigorate a seemingly tired debate regarding Heidegger's political engagement. This is a unique achievement in that he succeeds in re-opening a question that continues to haunt readers of Heidegger: to what extent can we separate the man from his thought? -- Paul Ennis, UCD Borderlands e-journal An importantly original contribution to the question of Heidegger and the political. -- Babette E. Babich, Fordham University, New York Political Theory Elden should be applauded for writing with such sharp focus, while simultaneously never reducing the genuine complexity of Heidegger's thought. Elden is a careful scholar, who writes in a clear, accessible prose. He has identified all the important texts germane to his argument and provides a good rationale to the volume as proposed. I wholeheartedly recommend this book with its rich lode of expositions of Heidegger's texts on the political in its ancient, modern and postmodern manifestations. Stuart Elden's Speaking Against Number takes full advantage of the most recent volumes of Heidegger's previously unpublished lectures and manuscripts to develop a rich new approach to his political thought. The resulting book should be widely read, especially by everyone who thinks they already know all there is to know about this topic. This volume shows wide-ranging and sound scholarship. Elden has done a superior job of weaving together many important strands of Heidegger's thought. Elden's book manages to reinvigorate a seemingly tired debate regarding Heidegger's political engagement. This is a unique achievement in that he succeeds in re-opening a question that continues to haunt readers of Heidegger: to what extent can we separate the man from his thought? An importantly original contribution to the question of Heidegger and the political.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Speaking: Rhetorical Politics; 2. Against: Polemical Politics; 3. Number: Calculative Politics; Conclusion: Taking the Measure of the Political.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exciting approach to the history and mathematics of number theory . . . the author's style is totally lucid and very easy to read . . .the result is indeed a wonderful story. Mathematical Reviews Written in a unique and accessible style for readers of varied mathematical backgrounds, the Second Edition of Primes of the Form p = x2+ ny2 details the history behind how Pierre de Fermat's work ultimately gave birth to quadratic reciprocity and the genus theory of quadratic forms. The book also illustrates how results of Euler and Gauss can be fully understood only in the context of class field theory, and in addition, explores a selection of the magnificent formulas of complex multiplication. Primes of the Form p = x2 + ny2, Second Edition focuses on addressing the question of when a prime p is of the form x2<Table of ContentsPreface to the First Edition ixPreface to the Second Edition xiNotation xiiiIntroduction 1Chapter One: From Fermat to GaussChapter Two: Class Field TheoryChapter Three: Complex MultiplicationChapter Four: Additional TopicsRefrencesAdditional ReferencesIndex

Read more less