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Abstract

Fermat's Last Theorem states that no three positive integers a, b, and c satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than 2. Fermat claimed to have a proof of this theorem in the margins of a book but did not publish it. Over 350 years, many mathematicians tried unsuccessfully to prove it. In 1993, Andrew Wiles presented what he believed was a complete proof, but it had a gap. In 1994, after more work, Wiles produced the first full proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. Though not directly useful, proving this beautiful mathematical problem enriched the field of mathematics. The modularity theorem proved in the process had applications in elliptic curve cryptography.

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Akanksha Mehra
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136 views3 pages

Abstract

Fermat's Last Theorem states that no three positive integers a, b, and c satisfy the equation an + bn = cn for any integer value of n greater than 2. Fermat claimed to have a proof of this theorem in the margins of a book but did not publish it. Over 350 years, many mathematicians tried unsuccessfully to prove it. In 1993, Andrew Wiles presented what he believed was a complete proof, but it had a gap. In 1994, after more work, Wiles produced the first full proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. Though not directly useful, proving this beautiful mathematical problem enriched the field of mathematics. The modularity theorem proved in the process had applications in elliptic curve cryptography.

Uploaded by

Akanksha Mehra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE STORY OF FERMAT’S LAST THEOREM

ABSTRACT :

Fermat’s Last Theorem states that no three positive integers a, b, and c satisfy the equation

aⁿ + bⁿ = cⁿ for any integer value of n greater than 2

The equation seem similar to the Pythagorean theorem , but we know this equation has
infinitely many whole no solutions Eg. (3,4,5); (5,12,13) etc. Then the main question is why is there no
whole no. solution for any equation of the form aⁿ + bⁿ = cⁿ if n>2 .

HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM :

Fermat himself claimed to have a proof, in his scribbling in the margins of the book. Quoting
him,

It is impossible to separate a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into two fourth powers, or
in general, any power higher than the second, into two like powers. I have discovered a truly
marvelous proof of this, which this margin is too narrow to contain.

What was this proof?

No mathematicians knew of it, nor did Fermat ever publish any such that. His claim came to be
known as Fermat’s Conjecture because it was not yet proven then. It gained publicity after his
death and became a quest of sorts for mathematicians.

WHY IT IS KNOWN AS FERMAT’S LAST THEOREM:

Fermat has a weird habit of leaving many problems just by giving the statement and saying that he knows
the proof but he have some other work important enough so he cannot write the proof , after his death his
son published a book containing all these unfinished problems with Fermat’s notes and remarks on them.
Many mathematicians tried these problems and eventually proved them all except for this one so named
Fermat’s last theorem . The world's most difficult math problem in GUINNESS BOOK of
world record at that time.

PROVING SPECIFIC CASE : ( when n=4)

Number theory gives us proof of a helping theorem stated as :

The diaphantine equation has no solution in positive integers x,y,z.

Where Diophantine equation is an equation, typically a polynomial equation in two or


more unknowns with integer coefficients, such that the only solutions of interest are the integer ones
To prove : The specific case of Fermat’s last theorem has no solution in positive
integers.

We will prove it by assuming there exist a solution in positive integers say x,y,z .

Then these will satisfy the equation ,

Now since x,y,z are positive integers satisfying above equation , we have x,y, as positive integers
satisfying the diaphantine equation , but from the stated helping theorem we know this
equation do not have a positive integral solution .

Therefore, our assumption is false and we can conclude that the has no solution in positive
integers.

ANDREW WILES’ JOURNEY TO THE GENERAL SOLUTION:

Andrew was just 10 years old when he got to know about the Fermat’s conjecture . At that young age he
was fascinated to solve the problem . He consulted his school teachers about the problem discussed the
problem with various university professors . By the time when Andrew himself become a professor at
Prinston . Some one proved a link between the MODULAR THEOREM and FERMAT’S LAST
THOREM. It was clear that if someone proves the Modular thorem the proof for Fermat’s theorem will
come free with it.

He spent six years, between 1986 and 1993, working on the Modular theorem , trying to prove it. He did
his work in total secrecy, not letting anyone except his wife know he was working on it.

After several false starts and dead ends, he arrived at what he believed was the complete proof, in 1993.
This very proof he presented in June 1993, in a series of lectures at Isaac Newton Institute of
Mathematical Sciences.

While the proof caused widespread amazement and wonder in the world of mathematics, it emerged two
months later that there was a problem in the proof that made it incomplete. Wiles had to return to his
work, in hope of rectifying the error as soon as possible.

On 19 September 1994, close to giving up the proof, he suddenly had an epiphany about his approach to
the proof. This helped him close up the gaps in his logic for the proof, and present a final complete form
of the Conjecture. Fermat’s Conjecture had at last become Fermat’s Last Theorem.

The proof was published in the May 1995 edition of the Annals of Mathematics and was hailed as an epic
achievement. Indeed, it was the end of a journey that started 358 years ago.

APPLICATIONS IN REAL WORLD:

Before any direct application

The problem cherished as a mystery that captured the imagination of innumerable numbers of
mathematicians in the 358 years it took to prove it. Its proof is special not for its usefulness, but its
beauty. the work that went into proving Fermat’s Last Theorem enriched mathematics a lot. Even the
failed attempts helped set mathematicians along the right track and provided the knowledge they did not
have.

Direct application of the modularity theorem which proved this theorem is in the field of ELIPTICAL
CURVES , which played a huge importance in the development of Elliptic curve cryptography(ECC)
Elliptic curves are applicable for encryption, digital signatures, pseudo-random generators and other
tasks. They are also used in several integer factorization algorithms that have applications in
cryptography, such as Lenstra elliptic-curve factorization.

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