W.A. Coppel - Böcker

Undergraduate courses in mathematics are commonly of two types. On the one hand are courses in subjects - such as linear algebra or real analysis - with which it is considered that every student of mathematics should be acquainted. On the other hand are courses given by lecturers in their own areas of specialization, which are intended to serve as a preparation for research. But after taking courses of only these two types, students might not perceive the sometimes surprising interrelationships and analogies between different branches of mathematics, and students who do not go on to become professional mathematicians might never gain a clear understanding of the nature and extent of mathematics. The two-volume Number Theory: An Introduction to Mathematics attempts to provide such an understanding of the nature and extent of mathematics. It is a modern introduction to the theory of numbers, emphasizing its connections with other branches of mathematics. Part A, which should be accessible to a first-year undergraduate, deals with elementary number theory. Part B is more advanced than the first and should give the reader some idea of the scope of mathematics today. The connecting theme is the theory of numbers, at first sight one of the most abstruse and irrelevant branches of mathematics. Yet by exploring its many connections with other branches, we may obtain a broad picture.

Number Theory is more than a comprehensive treatment of the subject. It is an introduction to topics in higher level mathematics, and unique in its scope; topics from analysis, modern algebra, and discrete mathematics are all included.The book is divided into two parts. Part A covers key concepts of number theory and could serve as a first course on the subject. Part B delves into more advanced topics and an exploration of related mathematics. Part B contains, for example, complete proofs of the Hasse-Minkowski theorem and the prime number theorem, as well as self-contained accounts of the character theory of finite groups and the theory of elliptic functions. The prerequisites for this self-contained text are elements from linear algebra. Valuable references for the reader are collected at the end of each chapter. It is suitable as an introduction to higher level mathematics for undergraduates, or for self-study.

Undergraduate courses in mathematics are commonly of two types. On the one hand are courses in subjects - such as linear algebra or real analysis - with which it is considered that every student of mathematics should be acquainted. On the other hand are courses given by lecturers in their own areas of specialization, which are intended to serve as a preparation for research. But after taking courses of only these two types, students might not perceive the sometimes surprising interrelationships and analogies between different branches of mathematics, and students who do not go on to become professional mathematicians might never gain a clear understanding of the nature and extent of mathematics. The two-volume Number Theory: An Introduction to Mathematics attempts to provide such an understanding of the nature and extent of mathematics. It is a modern introduction to the theory of numbers, emphasizing its connections with other branches of mathematics. Part A, which should be accessible to a first-year undergraduate, deals with elementary number theory. Part B is more advanced than the first and should give the reader some idea of the scope of mathematics today. The connecting theme is the theory of numbers, at first sight one of the most abstruse and irrelevant branches of mathematics. Yet by exploring its many connections with other branches, we may obtain a broad picture.