Elliptic Tales

<p><b>A look at one of the most exciting unsolved problems in mathematics today</b> <p/><i>Elliptic Tales</i> describes the latest developments in number theory by looking at one of the most exciting unsolved problems in contemporary mathematics--the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture. In this book Avner Ash and Robert Gross guide readers through the mathematics they need to understand this captivating problem. <p/>The key to the conjecture lies in elliptic curves which may appear simple but arise from some very deep--and often very mystifying--mathematical ideas. Using only basic algebra and calculus while presenting numerous eye-opening examples Ash and Gross make these ideas accessible to general readers and in the process venture to the very frontiers of modern mathematics.</p>