BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani

Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

SECOND SEMESTER 2024-25

COURSE HANDOUT
Date: 07.01.2025

In addition to part I (General Handout for all courses appended to the Time table) this portion gives further
specific details regarding the course.

Course Number: MATH F231

Course Title: NUMBER THEORY
Instructor-in-Charge: PRAMOD EYYUNNI

1. Course Description: This is a course on number theory, one of the oldest branches of mathematics. The
course will cover the basics of elementary number theory including some of the fundamental properties of
integers, greatest common divisors, division algorithm, primes and factorization, congruences and
modular arithmetic, Chinese remainder theorem, Fermat’s Little theorem and similar results, Euler phi-
function and other arithmetic functions, primitive roots modulo an integer, quadratic residues, Gauss’
quadratic reciprocity law and solutions to certain Diophantine equations, applications to periodic
decimals and periodic continued fractions.

2. Scope and Objective of the Course: This course will introduce some basic mathematical notation and
methods, covering properties of divisors, prime numbers, integer functions, equations in integers as well as
some applications. The main objective of this course is to understand the divisibility properties of integers
and other related topics as a basis for studying more advanced topics in Number Theory, Modern Algebra,
or the number theoretic RSA cryptography algorithms.

3. Text Book:
Thomas Koshy: Elementary Number Theory with Applications, Second Edition, Academic Press,
2007.

4. Reference Books:
(i) I. Niven, H. S. Zuckerman, H.L. Montgomery: An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers,
Wiley, 1991.
(ii) W. Stein: Elementary Number Theory: Primes, Congruences, and Secrets, Springer, 2011.
(iii) Neal Koblitz: A Course in Number Theory and Cryptography, 2nd Edition, Springer, 1994.

(iv) Harold Davenport & J. H. Davenport, The Higher Arithmetic: An Introduction to the Theory of
Numbers, 8th edition, Cambridge University Press, 2008.

5. Lecture Plan:

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

Module No. Reference Learning Outcome

Lecture Sessions

1 L1.1 Fundamental properties, the 1.1- 1.5 Understanding the fundamental

summation and product notation, properties of integers
Mathematical induction, recursion, the
binomial theorem

2 L2.1-L2.3 The division algorithm, base b- 2.1-2.2 Students will be able to check the
representation correctness of a division problem

3 L3.1-L3.4 Prime numbers, composite 2.5 –2.7 Students will be able to explore
numbers, Fibonacci numbers, Lucas various important classes of
numbers and Fermat numbers positive integers

4 L4.1-L4.2 Greatest common divisor 3.1 Students will be able to learn the
fundamental operations on
integers

5 L5.1-L5.2 The Euclidean algorithm. 3.2 Students will be able to find the
greatest common divisor of two
numbers from prime
factorizations.

6 L6.1-L6.2 The fundamental theorem of 3.3 Understanding the factorization of

arithmetic any positive integer

7 L7.1-L7.2 Least common multiple, linear 3.4 –3.5 Solving linear Diophantine
Diophantine equations equations

8 L8.1-L8.3 Introduction to congruences, 4.1- 4.3 Understanding the fundamental

linear congruences, The Pollard Rho properties of congruences and
factoring method applications

L9.1-L9.2 Chinese remainder theorem 6.1 Knowledge of four classical

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

9 L9.3 Wilson’s theorem 7.1

milestone theorems in number

L9.4 Fermat’s Little theorem 7.2
theory

L9.5-L9.6 Euler’s theorem 7.4

10 L10.1-L10.4 Euler’s Phi function, The Tau 8.1- 8.2, Knowledge of multiplicative
and sigma functions, The Mobius function 8.5 functions and their properties

11 L11.1-L11.4 The order of a positive 10.1-10.3 Students will be able to find the
integer, Primality tests, primitive roots for order of an integer and primitive
primes roots of a prime

12 L12.1-L12.2 Quadratic residues, The 11.1-11.4 Understanding the quadratic

Legendre symbol residues and the famous law of
quadratic reciprocity
L12.3-L12.5 Quadratic reciprocity, The
Jacobi symbol

13 L13.1-L13.2 Finite continued fractions 12.1 Understanding finite continued

fractions and their use in solving
linear Diophantine equations

6. Evaluation Scheme:

Component Duration Weightage Date & time Remarks

(%)
Mid Term Exam 90 Min 35 08/03/2025, 9AM- Closed Book
10:30AM*

Quizzes 20 Mins each 20 Unannounced Closed Book

(Best 3 out of 4)
Comprehensive 3 Hours 45 16/05/2025, Closed/Open Book
Examination 8AM-11AM*

*or as announced by AUGSD

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 BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Pilani
Pilani Campus
Instruction Division

7. Chamber consultation hours: : Thursday, 5PM – 6PM, 6070G (Dept. of Management, NAB)

8. Notices: All notices related to the course will be put up on NALANDA and/or information will be passed in the
lectures

9. Make up Policy: Quizzes will have no make-ups under any circumstances. Make-up for the mid-
semester/comprehensive examination will be given to genuine cases with prior permission only . No
requests for make-make-up will be entertained.

Instructor-In-Charge
MATH F231

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