Description
Book SynopsisEmphasizes the historical development of number theory, describing methods, theorems, and proofs in the contexts in which they originated, and providing an accessible introduction to one of the subjects in mathematics. This title includes helpful hints for when students are unsure of how to get started on a given problem.
Trade Review"An excellent contribution to the list of elementary number theory textbooks. Number theory, it is true, has as rich a history as any branch of mathematics, and Watkins has done terrific work in integrating the stories of the people behind this subject with the traditional topics of elementary number theory. There is more than enough material here for a one-semester course, and while this is standard for textbooks at this level, the added historical and biographical material--which cover mathematical developments and people well into the 20th century--are well worth the increased weight of the text."--Mark Bollman, MAA Reviews
