Numbers and Symmetry

This book was written with the student who does not plan to take more abstract algebra always in mind and is equally suitable for students who go on to graduate studies in mathematics. Numbers and Symmetry: An Introduction to Algebra provides a gentle introduction to the subject by allowing students to see the ideas at work in accessible examples, rather than plunging them immediately into a sea of formalism. The student is involved at once with interesting algebraic structures, such as the Gaussian integers and the various rings of integers modulo n, and is encouraged to take the time to explore and become familiar with those structures.