Student Number Theory Seminar

Letian Chen, University of Waterloo

"Algebraic Function Fields and the Riemann-Roch Theorem"

We will introduce the concept of algebraic function fields and state the Riemann-Roch theorem. We will see some natural analogues between number fields and algebraic function fields. In particular we will define primes and divisors and study how prime factorization works in the function field case. As a consequence we will be able to prove that the class number of a function field over finite field is finite. Time permitting we will also talk about ramifications.

MC 5403