Elementary Number Theory

Math 4181

Fall 2021

Time and Room

MWF 1:30-2:20pm, Lockett Hall 111   

Calendar

Class meets from Aug 23 through Dec 4. Final examination will be on Dec 10 at 10am-noon

Hour Test Dates

Test I on Oct 1, Test II on Oct 29, Test III on Nov 22

Textbook

Elements of Number Theory, John Stillwell (ISBN: 978-1-441930-66-8)

Prerequisite

Math 2057, 2058, or 2085

Instructor

Professor Ng, Richard     

Office

Lockett Hall 252

Phone

225-578-1659

Email

rng@math.lsu.edu

Homepage

http://www.math.lsu.edu/~rng

Office Hours

MWF 2:30-3:20pm (or by appointment)

Syllabus: We mainly cover Chapter 1-3, 5 and 9 of the textbook.

 

Grading:

 

Homework

Test I (50 min)

Test II (50 min)

Test III (50 min)

Final Exam

(120 min)

Total

150

100

100

100

150

600

 

Approximate grade assignment

Percentage

90-100

80-89

70-79

60-69

Below 60

Grade

A

B

C

D

F

 

Tests and Exam:

No books or notes are permitted.  All cell phones must be turned off and kept in backpacks during any test or exam. No make-up exams will be given unless a compelling documented excuse is presented. Make-up tests or exams could be completely different from the original ones. Your lowest test score will be replaced by your final exam score if it is higher. You are taking this course under the guideline of LSU Code of Student Conduct . The University has clear policies requiring academic honesty.  If there is clear evidence that a student has committed fraud to advance his/her academic status (e.g. cheating on a test or exam), your instructor will report to the Office of the Dean of Students.

Homework:

Homework will be assigned weekly on this course homepage. Only selected problems will be graded but students are required to complete all the assigned problems. Some problems will be explained in class if the instructor finds it necessary. The questions in the tests and final exam will be similar to those homework problems. Students are recommended to work in groups on the homework, but each student should write up his/her own solutions on paper. Assignments must be written neatly so that the grader can read them.

 

Attendance and class preparation:

Regular attendance is required for this course. You should make every effort not to miss any classes and complete all the homework in a timely fashion. It is your responsibility to catch up with missed lectures. You are responsible for the announcements made in class.

General Advice:

The amount of material to be covered in this course is substantial. To do well in this class, students are recommended to spend at least two hour each day on reading the sections covered, reviewing notes and working assigned homework.

 

Extra Help:

·      http://students.lsu.edu/academicsuccess/studying/peer/tutoring/private.

 

Homework

Week of

Assignments

Aug 23

Read 1.1-3 and do the exercises 1.1.1-3 and 1.2.1-2. Due Sep 1

Aug 30

Read 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 and do the exercises 1.3.1, 2, 4, 5, 1.5.1-3. Due Sep 15

Sep 13

Read 1.7, 1.8, 2., 2.2 and do the exercises 1.6.3-4, 1.7.1-4, 1.8.1-3. Due Sep 22

Sep 20

Read 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, Exercises 2.5.4-5 and do the exercises 2.1.(1, 3, 5), 2.2.1-3, 2.3.1-2. Due Sep 29

Sep 27

Read 2.6, 2.7 and Test I on Oct 1 covers the sections from 1.1 to 2.3

Oct 1

Read 3.1, 3.2 and do the exercises 2.4.1, 2.5.1-3, 2.6.1-4. Due Oct 6

Oct 8

Read 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and do the exercises 3.1.3-4, 3.2.2-3, 3.3.1-3. Due Oct 13

Oct 15

Read 3.6, 3.7, 3.9 and do the exercises 3.4.1-4, 3.5.1-3, 3.6.1. Due Oct 20

Oct 22

Do the exercises 3.6.2-4, 3.7.1-4, 3.9.1. Due Oct 27

Oct 29

Test II on Oct 29 covers 2.4-3.9.

Nov 1

Read 5.1-4 and do the exercises 5.1.3-4, 5.2.1-2. Due Nov 3

Nov 8

Read 9.1-3 and do exercises 5.3.1-2, 5.4.3-5 and 9.1.1-2 Due Nov 10

Nov 15

Read 9.4-6 and do exercises 9.1.3, 9.2.3, 9.2.6-7, 9.3.1-2, 9.4.1-2 Due Nov 17

Nov 22

Do exercises 9.3.3-4, 9.4.3, 9.5.1-3 Due Nov 24

Nov 22

Test III on Nov 22 covers 5.1-4 and 9.1-5.

Nov 29

Do exercises 1, 2, 3 in the Lecture Notes, 9.2.2, 9.7.1-2, 9.8.1-5 Due Dec 1

Dec 10

Final exam at 10am-noon