What is a Good Book for Self-Studying Number Theory?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for books suitable for self-studying number theory, particularly for individuals who cannot take formal courses on the subject. Participants share their suggestions and insights about various texts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks recommendations for self-study books on number theory.
  • Another participant suggests "Elementary Number Theory" by Jones and Jones as a good resource.
  • A different participant recommends "An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers" by Niven et al., noting its structure and the challenge of certain problems.
  • A later reply reiterates the recommendation for "An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers," emphasizing the difficulty of some problems and the potential absence of a solutions manual.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the recommendations provided, but there is no consensus on the best choice as different books are suggested without a clear preference established.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention the difficulty of specific problems in the recommended texts, indicating that the choice of book may depend on the reader's comfort with challenging material.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in self-studying number theory, particularly those looking for book recommendations and insights into the challenges of the subject.

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I've never studied the number theory before, and its not something I can study as an elective. What good book could I use for self study?
 
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Elementary Number Theory by Jones and Jones is good.
 
Thank you. I'll see if its available here.
 
"An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers" by Niven et.al.
 
qspeechc said:
"An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers" by Niven et.al.

I'll second this book. Hints and answers are given only for selected problems. I'm not sure if there is a solutions manual available but it could be very helpful. The starred problems are very difficult (I think the last problem in the divisibility section of chapter 1 is considered one of the hardest international math olympiad problems) so try them if you want a real challenge.
 

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