Computational Arithmetic of Modular Forms (Course notes)

Abstract

These course notes are about computing modular forms and some of their arithmetic properties. Their aim is to explain and prove the modular symbols algorithm in as elementary and as explicit terms as possible, and to enable the devoted student to implement it over any ring (such that a sufficient linear algebra theory is available in the chosen computer algebra system). The chosen approach is based on group cohomology and along the way the needed tools from homological algebra are provided.