News

Here is the fifth homework assignment: HW5.
(Note, an edit was made on Friday morning in problem 1.)
The assignment is due on Tuesday, November 16.

Here is the fourth homework assignment: HW4.
Note that there are small edits on problems 3 and 6 since the original posting.
It is due on Tuesday, November 2.

Here is the third homework assignment: HW3.
It is due on Tuesday, October 26.

Here is the second homework assignment: HW2.
It is due on Thursday, October 14.

Here is the first homework assignment: HW1.
It is due on Thursday, October 7.

Abstract

This course is an introduction to algorithmic number theory. Emphasis will be on primality testing, factoring, and discrete logarithms. We will also discuss algorithmic aspects of finite fields.

There is no required text, but a resource will be ``Prime numbers: a computational perspective", by Richard Crandall and Carl Pomerance.

Classes

Room: 004 Kemeny
Lectures: Tuesday-Thursday 10:00 am--11:50 am (10A hour)
X-hour: Wednesday 3:00 pm - 3:50pm

We may meet several of the x-hours, but this will always be announced well in advance.

There will be no class on Tuesday, October 5, and likely no class on Tuesday, November 23.

Staff

Instructor:

Carl Pomerance -- 339 Kemeny / Tel. 6-2635
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 AM--9:55 AM and by arrangement at other times.

Textbook

There is no official text, but my book with Crandall (Prime numbers) should be helpful as a resource.

Homework

Homework is due at the start of the class period on the due date.
Homework will be generally due once per week on Tuesdays.
Assignments will be posted on this website, with extra problems and/or comments added as the week progresses.

Past assignments

Exams

There will be no exams, but students will be expected to make some presentations to the class.

Grading

Grades will be based on homework, class participation, and oral presentations. (Graduate students who are working towards their dissertations will be judged on a separate standard.)

Honor Code

Collaboration on homework is definitely allowed and even encouraged. However, it is tempting to think that you understand something that was figured out by your friend. When you hand in a solution, you should know it well enough that you could explain it to others. Please name others you worked with when handing in homework papers. Merely copying (electronic or otherwise) of another person's solutions, in whole or in part, is a violation of the Honor Code.

Disabilities

I encourage any students with disabilities, including "invisible" disabilities such as chronic diseases and learning disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with me, which might help you with this class, either after class or during office hours. Dartmouth College has an active program to help students with disabilities, and I am happy to do whatever I can to help out, as appropriate.

The Student Disabilities Coordinator, Nancy Pompian, can be reached at 6-2014 if you have any questions. Any student with a documented disability requiring academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me by the end of the second week of the term. All discussions will remain confidential, although the Academic Skills Center may be consulted to verify the documentation of the disability and advise on an appropriate response to the need. It is important, however, that you talk to me soon, so that I can make whatever arrangements might be needed in a timely fashion.