• 2024 Putnam Results

    We are very excited to report that our MAryland Putnam team ranked 7th among 477 institutions that participated in the 2024 Putnam math competition. Our team members this year were Daniel Yuan, Isaac Mammel, and Clarence Lam. Daniel Yuan ranked 26th among 3,988 participants. Clarence Lam and Isaac Mammel were recognized for… Read More

  • From Math Olympiads to Diplomacy: Meet Visiting Math Professor Qendrim Gashi

    Maryland Global, published a great interview with our visiting professor (and diplomat), Qendrim Gashi. The interview is available at https://marylandglobal.umd.edu/about/news/math-olympiads-diplomacy-meet-visiting-math-professor-qendrim-gashi Read More

  • Eugenia Brin, Longtime Supporter of Science and Performing Arts at UMD, Dies

    Eugenia Brin, a Russian immigrant and retired NASA scientist who, with her family of accomplished Terps, became an important benefactor of the University of Maryland, died on Dec. 3, 2024. She was 76 years old. The rest of the article can be read here: https://cmns.umd.edu/news-events/news/eugenia-brin-1948-2024 Read More

  • 2024 Michael Brin Dynamical Systems Prize for Young Mathematicians Awardees

    Math is excited to announce that Francisco Arana-Herrera has been awarded the 5th Michael Brin Dynamical Systems Prize for Young Mathematicians.  The prize was shared between Francisco and Rohil Prasad. Details about eh prize and previous winners can be found at  https://science.psu.edu/math/research/dynsys/dynamical-systems-prize-young-mathematicians Read More

  • UMD Launches Award to Recognize Dual Majors in Computer Science and Mathematics

    Starting Spring 2025, the Grant Family Outstanding Achievement Undergraduate Student Award will recognize graduating seniors excelling in both fields. Link to the article can be read here: https://www.cs.umd.edu/article/2024/11/umd-launches-award-recognize-dual-majors-computer-science-and-mathematics Read More
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Description

Integers, divisibility, prime numbers, unique factorization, congruences, quadratic reciprocity, Diophantine equations and arithmetic functions.

Prerequisites

1 course with a minimum grade of C- from (MATH240, MATH241, MATH246, MATH340, MATH341, MATH461)


Level of Rigor

Standard


Sample Textbooks

Intro to Number Theory w/Cryptography, by Kraft and Washington

Elementary Number Theory and its Applications, by Rosen


Applications

Computer Science (cryptography)


If you like this course, you might also consider the following courses

MATH456, MATH402 or MATH403


Additional Notes

Students interested in grad school in MATH should consider this course. It is a good course to take before Math 403.

Topics

The integers

Divisibility

Prime numbers

Greatest common divisor

Euclidean algorithm

Unique factorization

Congruences

Basic properties

Modular arithmetic

Euler's phi function

Fermat's, Euler's and Wilson's theorems

Chinese remainder theorem

Legendre and Jacobi symbols

Law of quadratic reciprocity (possibility skip proof to allow time for other topics)

Additional Topics, (as time allows)

Diophantine equations: Pythagoras, Fermat, Pell

Primitive roots: Lagrange's Theorem

Primality testing

Factoring

RSA Algorithm

Arithmetic functions, Moebius inversion formula, Mersenne primes

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