Class Meetings

Lectures: Tue, Thu 2:00-3:30 BRB 121

Instructor: Peter Gacs

Office Hours: Tue 3:30-5, Fri 11-12:30 or by appointment.

Coordinates: gacs@bu.edu, MCS-277, 617-353-2015

Teaching Assistant: Ashwin Thangali

Lab Hours: Mon 11-12 (MCS-B31)

Office Hours: Wed 4-5:30

Coordinates: tvashwin@cs.bu.edu, 358-1139, MCS-263

Textbooks

• (required) A Computational Introduction to Number Theory and Algebra, Victor Shoup, Publ: Cambridge University Press 2005, (ISBN-10: 0521851548 | ISBN-13: 9780521851541)
  

General description

Basic concepts and algorithms for manipulation of algebraic objects, such as residues, matrices, polynomials. Applications to some areas of computer science (cryptography, fault-tolerance). The course emphasizes rigorous reasoning and analysis, and the skills for manipulating abstractions. (Counts as a CS Background course for the CS concentration.)

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites, but MA 123 (Calculus) and CS 232 (Geometric algorithms) are recommended.