number theory

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. the study of integers and their relation to one another.

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number theory British  

noun

1. the study of integers, their properties, and the relationship between integers

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Etymology

Origin of number theory

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

number theory

But OpenAI’s solution drew on methods from a seemingly unrelated field, algebraic number theory, which studies deep patterns in numbers and the structures built from them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

A mathematician may spend a career in discrete geometry without developing any familiarity with the sophisticated tools of algebraic number theory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026

Now they are solving classic problems in combinatorial geometry using algebraic number theory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026

Looking at the stock’s daily chart one can see how round number theory came into play at the very round $100 figure:

From Barron's ● Apr. 20, 2026

A strong streak of romanticism runs through mathematics, manifesting itself most clearly in the most fundamental areas of mathematics, number theory and logic.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos