Primes and prime factorization are especially important concepts in number theory. In number theory, a partition is a way of writing a whole number as a sum of positive integers in which the order of the addends is not significant. A perfect number is a positive integer that equals the sum of its divisors.

What is taught in number theory?

Number theory is a branch of mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers, their additive and multiplicative structures and their properties that set them apart from other rings (structures with addition and multiplication).

How difficult is Number Theory?

Number theory may not seem like the most practical thing to learn but it gets used in group theory, discrete math, and other typical third year math courses. It’s not that hard. The proofs and derivations are very straightforward, and it has a lot of useful and interesting applications, such as cryptology.

Where do I start with Number Theory?

For a typical undergraduate with not much exposure to Mathematics beyond high school, I would recommend starting with a book that essentially deals with topics in elementary Number Theory. By that I mean topics that are covered without any (or minimal) use of other branches of Mathematics (mostly Algebra or Analysis).

What are the applications of number theory?

The best known application of number theory is public key cryptography, such as the RSA algorithm. Public key cryptography in turn enables many technologies we take for granted, such as the ability to make secure online transactions.

What is the algebraic number theory?

Algebraic number theory. Algebraic number theory is a branch of number theory that uses the techniques of abstract algebra to study the integers, rational numbers, and their generalizations. Number-theoretic questions are expressed in terms of properties of algebraic objects such as algebraic number fields and their rings of integers,…

What is the theory of numbers?

Number Theory. Number theory is a vast and fascinating field of mathematics, sometimes called “higher arithmetic,” consisting of the study of the properties of whole numbers.