Quadratic residues and non-residues. Selected topics (Q313094)

As well summarized by the publisher, this book ``illustrates how the study of quadratic residues led directly to the development of fundamental methods in elementary, algebraic, and analytic number theory'' and ``is a valuable resource for graduate and advanced undergraduate students as well as for mathematicians interested in number theory''. Although dealing with different topics (number theory, commutative rings and algebras, field theory and polynomials, discrete mathematics, Fourier analysis etc.), the book shows a stylistic fluency. The reasons why it captures the reader's attention are mainly four: {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[1)] the clear purpose to illustrate the development of some key-ideas and techniques starting from ancient roots; \item[2)] a rational organization of the book: ten chapters arranged in order of difficulty, gradual comprehension and chronology of the sources; \item[3)] a rigorous formalism, coherent with previous papers by the same \textit{S. Wright} [Ars Comb. 112, 257--278 (2013; Zbl 1313.11008); J. Number Theory 133, No. 7, 2398--2430 (2013; Zbl 1328.11032); J. Combin. Number Theory 6, No. 2, 85--111 (2015; Zbl 1371.11008)], enriched by reports of inspirational figures (Fermat, Euler, Lagrange, Legendre, Gauss, Dedekind, Dirichlet, and so on) often contextualized in the historic frame; \item[4)] the experienced origin of these lecture notes: a special-topics-in-mathematics course held during the summer semesters of 2014 and 2015 at Oakland University. \end{itemize}} The sequence of the arguments is the following: the solution of the general quadratic congruence modulo a prime \[ x^2 \equiv z \pmod{p^{\alpha}} \] provided by Gauss for all primes \(p\) and positive integer exponents \(\alpha\) and the focus on the most important case, when \(p\) is odd and \(\alpha\) = 1, \[ x^2 \equiv z \pmod p, \] with the subsequent definition of quadratic residue and non-residues; an introduction to basic tools such as the Legendre symbol, Euler's criterion, the Chinese remainder theorem, etc.; the law of quadratic reciprocity (\textit{Theorema Aureum}) with its manifold proofs and applications like: the solution of the basic problem and the fundamental problem for odd primes, the investigation on when finite nonempty subsets of the positive integers occur as sets of residues of infinitely many primes, the calculation of the asymptotic density of the set of all primes \(p\) such that \(S\) is a set of residues of \(p\), the verification of an algorithm for computing Legendre symbols; the Zeta function of an algebraic number field and its consequences on the ideal distribution theorem and on the fundamental theorem of ideal theory; elementary proofs based only upon properties of the integers; the Dirichlet \(L\)-functions and the distribution of quadratic residues, with the related Dirichlet's class-number formula; the quadratic residues and non-residues in arithmetic progression; an evidence that quadratic residues are randomly distributed obtained via the central limit theorem. Beyond the excellent study about Gauss's works in the English version by A. A. Clarke [\textit{C. F. Gauss}, Disquisitiones Arithmeticae (1801). (Translated by Arthur A. Clarke). New Haven and London: Yale University Press (1966; Zbl 0136.32301)], the author remarks the importance of \textit{P. G. Lejeune-Dirichlet} [Vorlesungen über Zahlentheorie, herausgegeben von R. Dedekind. Zweite Auflage. Braunschweig: Vieweg (1871; JFM 03.0063.01)] as \textit{trait-d'union} between the classical and modern number theory and he adds a notable digression about the zero-knowledge proofs (or minimum-disclosure proofs) by \textit{A. Shamir} [Lect. Notes Comput. Sci. 196, 47--53 (1985; Zbl 1359.94626)], employing the quadratic residues in identity-based cryptosystems and signature schemes. All the without-proof results are referred to the treatise of \textit{E. Hecke} [Vorlesungen über die Theorie der algebraischen Zahlen. Leipzig: Akad. Verlagsges. (1923; JFM 49.0106.10)]. \textit{Editorial note}. The author of these lecture notes contacted us and asked us to include in this review a small list of errata. This is the list provided by the author. {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize}\item[--] p.7, line 10: insert ``are'' between \(m\) and ``the''; \item[--] p. 26, lines \(-8, -7, -6\): replace 1857 by 1847; \item[--] p. 66, lines 9-12: replace the text beginning with ``hence\(\dots\)'' and ending with ``\(\dots\)possible'' by ``and by way of \((3.24), (pq)=I^2J^2.\)''; \item[--] p. 66, line 16: replace \(\varepsilon_1\not=0\not= \varepsilon_2\) by \(\varepsilon_1+ \varepsilon_2\not=0\); \item[--] p. 71, line 10: replace \(|N(\gamma)|\) by \(N(\gamma)\); \item[--] p. 73, line 3: replace \(E^{\prime}\) in all occurrences in this line by \(E\); \item[--] p. 161, line 4: replace Sect. 7. by Sect. 4; \item[--] p. 205. line 15: replace \(\pm 3]\) by \(\pm 3\); \item[--] p. 236, lines \(11, -10, -5, -4\): replace \(S(N)\) by \(\Sigma(N)\); \item[--] p. 237, lines \(-6, -8\): replace \(S(N)\) by \(\Sigma(N)\); \item[--] p. 238, line 5: replace \(S(N)\) by \(\Sigma(N)\); \item[--] p. 263, line 12: delete large brace at the end of this line; \item[--] p. 291, line 9 in right-hand column: replace 100 by 110 \end{itemize}}