What is it? The goals of the subject include: (i) to use algebraic concepts to deduce
information about integers and other rational numbers and (ii) to investigate generalizations
of the integers and rational numbers and develop theorems of a more general nature.
Although (ii) is certainly of interest, our main point of view for this course will be (i). The
focus of this course then will be on the use of algebra as a tool for obtaining information
about integers and rational numbers.