SMS scnews item created by Giles Gardam at Mon 26 Mar 2012 1857
Type: Seminar
Distribution: World
Expiry: 2 Apr 2012
Calendar1: 29 Mar 2012 1300-1400
CalLoc1: Carslaw 351
Auth: gilesg@bari.maths.usyd.edu.au

SUMS: Vasak -- P-adic Numbers, Modular Arithmetic and Strange Geometry

Everybody knows the counting numbers. Most know the integers. Many
know the rationals, or reals (even if they call them decimals). Some
even know of the complex numbers. But only a few have heard of the
p-adic numbers, the final (and most recent) addition to this
collection. The p-adic numbers are one of our most important tools in
modern number theory, giving us a much clearer perspective on what
modular arithmetic really means. This talk hopes to give an elementary
introduction into what they are, why they are important and just how
weird they can get.


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