Lahore University of Management Sciences

B.Sc. (Honors) Programme

Course Outline

Course Math 251 Course Title Number Theory

Quarter Autumn 2004 – 2005

Instructor Dr. Shamim Arif
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:30 – 1:30 p.m daily
Office: 2117
E-mail: sarif@lums.edu.pk

Description This course introduces students to elementary number theory. Starting with the
divisibility properties of integers the course covers some of the most
fascinationing parts of classical mathematics such as congruences, prime
numbers, number theoretic functions, Euler, Fermat and Wilson theorems. It
ends with a simple introduction to the famous Fermat’s equation x n  y n  z n .

Goals At the end of the course the student should have learnt:
 The divisibility properties of integers
 Solutions of congruences
 Some of the oldest known and unknown results of classical mathematics.

Prerequisites None
Text:- Rosen, Knneth H. Elementry Number Theory and its applications fourth
addition 1999

Recommended Books
(1) Leveque , W.J. Elementary Theory of Numbers,
Dover , New York 1990

(2) H. Griffin, Elementary Theory of Numbers, McGraw - Hill,

Book company 1954

(3) Hardy, G.H , Wright E.M Introduction to the

Theory of Numbers Oxford University Press 1980
 Week Topics Section
1 Mathematical Induction, Divisibility 1.2
2 Representation of integers, Prime numbers 2.1 , 3.1
3 Greatest Common Diviors 3.2
The Euclidean Algorithm 3.3
4 The Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic 3.4
Factorization Methods and the Fermat Numbers 3.5
Linear Diophantine Equations 3.6
5 Introduction to Congruences 4.1
Linear Congruences 4.2
The Chinese Remainder Theorem 4.3
Mid Term
6 Solving Polynomial Congruences 4.4
System of Linear Congruences 4.5
Divisibility Tests 5.1
7 Wilson Theorem and Fermats little theorem 6.1
Pseudo Primes 6.2
Euler’s Theorem 6.3
The Euler Phi – Function 7.1
8 The Sum and Number of divisions 7.2
Perfect numbers and Mersenne Primes 7.3
9 Mobius Inversion formula 7.4
The order of an integer and Primitive roots 9.1 , 9.2
10 Pythagorean Triples 13.1
Fermat’s last Theorem 13.2

Lectures 20, 75 minutes, 10 , 50 minutes

Tutorials TBA

Grading 30% Quizzes

30% Mid Term
40% Final