This course is an elementary introduction to number theory with no algebraic prerequisites. Topics covered include primes, congruences, quadratic reciprocity, diophantine equations, irrational numbers, continued fractions, and partitions.
Number theory is a branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of integers, which can be traced back at least to the Ancient Greeks. There are many famous unsolved problems, including Goldbach’s conjecture, which keep mathematicians busy.
A Friendly Introduction to Number Theory is an introductory undergraduate text designed to entice non-math majors into learning some mathematics, while at the same time teaching them how to think mathematically.