Text:  none
 

Grading: The grades for this course are S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory), based on the effort, not necessarily on the results.
 

Attendance policy: Attendance is important. I will pass the attendance sheet around during every class. If you know you are about to miss or have missed a class, email me.
 

Problem Sets: I will be distributing problem sets throughout the semester. You should attempt as many of these problems as you can, both in class and at home. I strongly recommend that you collaborate with others on these problem sets. I do not recommend using AI to help you with the problem sets. You should submit your solutions to me by email (you can take a photo of handwritten solutions or type them up). Please submit 1 or 2 problems per week, otherwise I will not be able to grade it all and give feedback. If several people have worked together on the problem, it is okay to send one email with all the group members CC-ed on it. However, you will learn more if you write up your own solutions even if you discussed it with others. You will also be asked to present solutions or attempts at solutions at the board during class.
 

Office Hours: I will be in my office 240 Hill Center on Busch Campus at 1pm-2pm on Wednesdays. These times may change, in which case the new times will be announced on my home page. Other good times to talk are right before or right after the class. It is also possible to ask questions by email. Emails will be generally answered within 24 hours, often sooner. The more detailed your email question is, the more detailed the reply message will be. My email is borisov@rutgers.edu.
 

Putnam Exam: You are encouraged to participate in the Putnam Exam, but are not required to do so.
 

Academic integrity: All students in the course are expected to be familiar with and abide by the academic integrity policy which can be found here . Violations of the policy are taken very seriously.
 

Disability Services: phone: (848)445-6800, Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145, Livingston Campus, 54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, https://ods.rutgers.edu/
Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/documentation-guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus disability services office will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form on the ODS web site at: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/registration-form. Students with disabilities requesting accommodations should present a Letter of Accommodations to the instructor as early in the term as possible. See here for details.
 

Student wellness services: Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services (CAPS), phone: (848)932-7884, 17 Senior Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. CAPS is a University mental health support service that includes counseling, alcohol and other drug assistance, and psychiatric services staffed by a team of professionals within Rutgers Health services to support students' efforts to succeed at Rutgers University. CAPS offers a variety of services that include: individual therapy, group therapy and workshops, crisis intervention, referral to specialists in the community, and consultation and collaboration with campus partners.
 

Violence Prevention & Victim Assistance (VPVA) phone: (848)932-1181, 3 Bartlett Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, www.vpva.rutgers.edu. The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance provides confidential crisis intervention, counseling, and advocacy for victims of sexual and relationship violence and stalking to students, staff and faculty. To reach staff during office hours when the university is open or to reach an advocate after hours, call (848)932-1181.
 

 
Sep. 2. Intro problem set 1

Sep. 9. Intro problem set 2

Sep. 16. Pigeonhole (Dirichlet) principle

Sep. 23. Elementary number theory

Sep. 30.

Oct. 7.

Oct. 14.

Oct. 21.

Oct. 28.

Nov. 4.

Nov. 11.

Nov. 18.

Dec. 2.

Saturday, December 5, 2026: Putnam Exam

Dec. 9. Review.