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There are numbers of all kinds: rational, real, complex, p-adic. The p-adic numbers are less well known than the others, but they play a fundamental role in number theory and in other parts of mathematics. This elementary introduction offers a broad understanding of p-adic numbers.

From the reviews: "It is perhaps the most suitable text for beginners, and I shall definitely recommend it to anyone who asks me what a p-adic number is." --THE MATHEMATICAL GAZETTE

p-adic Numbers: An Introduction

1 Apéritif.- 2 Foundations.- 3 The p-adic Numbers.- 4 Exploring _p.- 5 Elementary Analysis in _p.- 6 Vector Spaces and Field Extensions.- 7 Analysis in _p.- 8 Fun With Your New Head.- A Sage and GP: A (Very) Quick Introduction.- B Hints and Comments on the Problems.- C A Brief Glance at the Literature.- Bibliography.- Index.