Some rational points on the hyperbola x^2 - 2y^2 = 1. The projection from away from (1,0) gives a bijection with the rational points on the y-axis, with the point (0,-m) going to x = (2m^2 + 1)/(2m^2 - 1), y = 2m/(2m^2 - 1). (Image by Abhinav Kumar.)
Prof. Abhinav Kumar
18.781
Spring 2012
Undergraduate
This course is an elementary introduction to number theory with no algebraic prerequisites. Topics covered include primes, congruences, quadratic reciprocity, diophantine equations, irrational numbers, continued fractions, and partitions.