Finite Fields And Applications

Introduction to the theory of finite fields and to some of their many applications. The first chapter is devoted to the theory of finite fields. After covering their construction and elementary properties, the authors discuss the trace and norm functions, bases for finite fields, and properties of polynomials over finite fields. Chapter 2 deals with combinatorial topics such as the construction of sets of orthogonal Latin squares, affine and projective planes, block designs, and Hadamard matrices. Chapters 3 and 4 provide a number of constructions and basic properties of error-correcting codes and cryptographic systems using finite fields. Appendix A provides a brief review of the basic number theory and abstract algebra used in the text. Appendix B provides hints and partial solutions for many of the exercises in each chapter.--From publisher description.

This book is devoted entirely to the theory of finite fields.

The theory of finite fields, whose origins can be traced back to the works of Gauss and Galois, has played a part in various branches in mathematics. Inrecent years we have witnessed a resurgence of interest in finite fields, and this is partly due to important applications in coding theory and cryptography. The purpose of this book is to introduce the reader to some of these recent developments. It should be of interest to a wide range of students, researchers and practitioners in the disciplines of computer science, engineering and mathematics. We shall focus our attention on some specific recent developments in the theory and applications of finite fields. While the topics selected are treated in some depth, we have not attempted to be encyclopedic. Among the topics studied are different methods of representing the elements of a finite field (including normal bases and optimal normal bases), algorithms for factoring polynomials over finite fields, methods for constructing irreducible polynomials, the discrete logarithm problem and its implications to cryptography, the use of elliptic curves in constructing public key cryptosystems, and the uses of algebraic geometry in constructing good error-correcting codes. To limit the size of the volume we have been forced to omit some important applications of finite fields. Some of these missing applications are briefly mentioned in the Appendix along with some key references.

This volume contains the proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Finite Fields and Applications, held in Melbourne, Australia, July 9-13, 2007. It contains 5 invited survey papers as well as original research articles covering various theoretical and applied areas related to finite fields.Finite fields, and the computational and algorithmic aspects of finite field problems, continue to grow in importance and interest in the mathematical and computer science communities because of their applications in so many diverse areas. In particular, finite fields now play very important roles in number theory, algebra, and algebraic geometry, as well as in computer science, statistics, and engineering. Areas of application include algebraic coding theory, cryptology, and combinatorialdesign theory.

Poised to become the leading reference in the field, the Handbook of Finite Fields is exclusively devoted to the theory and applications of finite fields. More than 80 international contributors compile state-of-the-art research in this definitive handbook. Edited by two renowned researchers, the book uses a uniform style and format throughout and

Presents an introduction to the theory of finite fields and some of its most important applications.

This book uses finite field theory as a hook to introduce the reader to a range of ideas from algebra and number theory. It constructs all finite fields from scratch and shows that they are unique up to isomorphism. As a payoff, several combinatorial applications of finite fields are given: Sidon sets and perfect difference sets, de Bruijn sequences and a magic trick of Persi Diaconis, and the polynomial time algorithm for primality testing due to Agrawal, Kayal and Saxena. The book forms the basis for a one term intensive course with students meeting weekly for multiple lectures and a discussion session. Readers can expect to develop familiarity with ideas in algebra (groups, rings and fields), and elementary number theory, which would help with later classes where these are developed in greater detail. And they will enjoy seeing the AKS primality test application tying together the many disparate topics from the book. The pre-requisites for reading this book are minimal: familiarity with proof writing, some linear algebra, and one variable calculus is assumed. This book is aimed at incoming undergraduate students with a strong interest in mathematics or computer science.

The theory of finite fields encompasses algebra, combinatorics, and number theory and has furnished widespread applications in other areas of mathematics and computer science. This book is a collection of selected topics in the theory of finite fields and related areas. The topics include basic facts about finite fields, polynomials over finite fields, Gauss sums, algebraic number theory and cyclotomic fields, zeros of polynomials over finite fields, and classical groups over finite fields. The book is mostly self-contained, and the material covered is accessible to readers with the knowledge of graduate algebra; the only exception is a section on function fields. Each chapter is supplied with a set of exercises. The book can be adopted as a text for a second year graduate course or used as a reference by researchers.