Number theory is the branch of mathematics that is primarily
concerned with the counting numbers. Of particular importance are
the prime numbers, the 'building blocks' of our number system. The
subject is an old one, dating back over two millennia to the
ancient Greeks, and for many years has been studied for its
intrinsic beauty and elegance, not least because several of its
challenges are so easy to state that everyone can understand them,
and yet no-one has ever been able to resolve them. But number
theory has also recently become of great practical importance - in
the area of cryptography, where the security of your credit card,
and indeed of the nation's defence, depends on a result concerning
prime numbers that dates back to the 18th century. Recent years
have witnessed other spectacular developments, such as Andrew
Wiles's proof of 'Fermat's last theorem' (unproved for over 250
years) and some exciting work on prime numbers. In this Very Short
Introduction Robin Wilson introduces the main areas of classical
number theory, both ancient and modern. Drawing on the work of many
of the greatest mathematicians of the past, such as Euclid, Fermat,
Euler, and Gauss, he situates some of the most interesting and
creative problems in the area in their historical context. ABOUT
THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford
University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every
subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get
ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts,
analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make
interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
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