Elementary Theory of Numbers#

Designed for students having no previous experience with rigorous proofs, this text on analysis can be used immediately following standard calculus courses. It is highly recommended for anyone planning to study advanced analysis, e.g., complex variables, differential equations, Fourier analysis, numerical analysis, several variable calculus, and statistics. It is also recommended for future secondary school teachers. A limited number of concepts involving the real line and functions on the real line are studied. Many abstract ideas, such as metric spaces and ordered systems, are avoided. The least upper bound property is taken as an axiom and the order properties of the real line are exploited throughout. A thorough treatment of sequences of numbers is used as a basis for studying standard calculus topics. Optional sections invite students to study such topics as metric spaces and Riemann-Stieltjes integrals.

This concise monograph in probability by Mark Kac, a well-known mathematician, presumes a familiarity with Lebesgue's theory of measure and integration, the elementary theory of Fourier integrals, and the rudiments of number theory. Readers may then follow Dr. Kac's attempt "to rescue statistical independence from the fate of abstract oblivion by showing how in its simplest form it arises in various contexts cutting across different mathematical disciplines."

This two-volume book is a modern introduction to the theory of numbers, emphasizing its connections with other branches of mathematics. Part A is accessible to first-year undergraduates and deals with elementary number theory. Part B is more advanced and gives the reader an idea of the scope of mathematics today. The connecting theme is the theory of numbers. By exploring its many connections with other branches a broad picture is obtained.