内容简介

Our intention in writing this book is to give an elementary introduction to number theory which does not demand a great deal of mathematical background or maturity from the reader, and which can be read and understood with no extra assistance. Our first three chapters are based almost entirely on A-level mathematics, while the next five require little else beyond some elementary group theory. It is only in the last three chapters, where we treat more advanced topics, including recent developments, that we require greater mathematical background; here we use some basic ideas which students would expect to meet in the first year or so of a typical undergraduate course in mathematics. Throughout the book, we have attempted to explain our arrangements as fully and as clearly as possible, with plenty of worked examples and with outline solutions for all exercises.