Mathematics 114 - Explorations in Number Theory
Fall
2013
01
4.00
Mark Peterson;Mark Peterson
TTH 11:30AM-12:45PM;F 03:15PM-04:05PM
Mount Holyoke College
85029
Clapp Laboratory 306;Clapp Laboratory 306
mpeterso@mtholyoke.edu;mpeterso@mtholyoke.edu
'We will cover the arithmetic of whole numbers and of prime numbers, in particular, examining some of the earliest questions in mathematics from a modern perspective, finding whole number solutions to equations with several variables, deciding whether or not such solutions exist and if so, determining whether the solution set is finite or infinite. Topics include the theory of 'finite arithmetic,' converting questions about the infinite set of whole numbers to those involving just a small set of primes, using computers to examine problems numerically.'