Math 497 Winter 2008: Math Topics for Teachers

Topic: Complex Integers: Investigating and Applying through Problem Solving

The topic of study will be what are called the Gaussian Integers and their application to problems concerning (ordinary) integers.

Description: On UW Math Pages

Session 1 (Wednesday, January 9)

Geoboard distances and integers that are sums of squares. Picturing the set of all multiples of a Gaussian integer z by all Gaussian integers w.

Session 2 (Wednesday, January 16)

Norms of Gaussian integers. Multiplicative properties. Divisibility of Gaussian integers.

Session 3 (Wednesday, January 23)

Primes in Z that are not primes in Z[i]. More about divisibility. Using norms to write sums of squares and Pythagorean triples.