Syllabus - Elementary Number Theory
MATH 580 - Fall 2022
General Information
- Course webpage
- https://duncan.math.sc.edu/f22/math580
Instructor
- Name
- Alexander Duncan
- duncan@math.sc.edu
- Office
- Leconte 448
- Office Hours
- Tuesday 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Wednesday 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Meeting Times
- Lecture
- Tuesday, Thursday 8:30 AM-9:45 AM
Leconte 422
Bulletin Information
- Prerequisites
- C or better in MATH 300.
- W Deadline
- August 24
- WF Deadline
- November 2
Textbook
Elementary Number Theory, Second Edition. by Underwood Dudley.
Learning outcomes
A student who successfully completes Elementary Number Theory will be able to:
- solve linear congruences,
- prove facts about integers and modular arithmetic, and
- evaluate and apply number theoretic functions.
Assessment
Your raw numerical grade will be computed as follows:
| Assignments | 40% |
|---|---|
| Group Work | 10% |
| Midterm Exams | 10% x 3 = 30% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
Your raw numerical score will be converted into a final letter grade, which should be interpreted as follows:
| A | Demonstrates the potential to apply the course material confidently and correctly with minimal supervision in undergraduate research, graduate school, or industrial applications. |
|---|---|
| B+/B | Can apply ideas from the course in situations requiring more than a superficial understanding of the material. |
| C+/C | Able to consistently solve routine problems. |
| D+/D | Demonstrates understanding of core course concepts. |
Assignments
There will be roughly weekly assignments which will be due at the beginning of class. Please use only US Letter paper, write neatly, and leave adequate room for comments. Don't hand in your first draft. Assignments will be posted on the course website. You are responsible for checking regularly for announcements and new assignments. You are encouraged to work together on assignments, but you must write up your own solutions.
Unless explicitly told not to do so, you may use any resource you'd like for assignments (e.g., computer algebra systems, the textbook, your classmates, online videos, or the instructor). However, you must write up your assignment on your own using your own words and list any resources used to do the assignment. Failure to abide by these guidelines will be considered a breach of academic integrity.
Reading the textbook and doing the assignments is necessary, but not sufficient, to succeed in this course! Also, relying too much on external resources will negatively impact your performance on the exams.
Group Work
There will be in-class assignments to be completed in groups. These assignments must be completed during class time. Four assignments will be dropped from your final group work grade.
Exams
There are three midterm exams and a final exam. The midterm exams will take place instead of lecture, while the final exam is scheduled by the university registrar.
| Midterm Exam 1 | September 15, during class |
|---|---|
| Midterm Exam 2 | October 11, during class |
| Midterm Exam 3 | November 10, during class |
| Final Exam | December 6, 9:00 AM |
Course Policies
No late assignments will be accepted. There will be no make-up exams. If you expect to miss an exam or assignment deadline for any reason, then let the instructor know as soon as possible.
It is not reasonable to expect to learn the material without regularly attending classes. While no attendance policy will be directly enforced, group work must be completed during class time.
Academic Integrity
The University of South Carolina has clearly articulated its policies governing academic integrity and students are encouraged to carefully review the policy on the Honor Code in the Carolina Community. Any deviation from these expectations will result in academic penalties as well as disciplinary action.
Office of Student Disability Services
Any student with a documented disability should contact the Student Disability Resource Center to make arrangements for appropriate accommodations.