The classical theory of hypergeometric functions, developed by generations of mathematicians including Gauss, Kummer, and Riemann, has been used substantially in the ensuing years within number theory, geometry, and the intersection thereof. In more recent decades, these classical ideas have been translated from the complex setting into the finite field and $p$-adic settings as well.
In this talk, we will give a friendly introduction to hypergeometric functions, especially in the context of number theory.