Notes for Number Theory (Fall Semester)

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Notes for Number Theory (Fall Semester) Notes for Number theory (Fall semester) Sophie Marques August 2014 2 Contents I Arithmetic of Z, divisibility theory 11 1 Interlude on natural numbers, induction and well ordering 13 2 Divisibility 15 2.1 Definition of divisibility . 15 2.2 Some divisibility tests . 15 2.2.1 Divisibility by 10n, 5, 25 ...................... 16 2.2.2 Divisibility by a power of 2 .................... 16 2.2.3 Divisibility by 3 and 9 ....................... 16 2.2.4 Divisibility by 11 .......................... 16 2.2.5 More divisibility test . 17 2.3 G.C.D.andL.C.M.............................. 17 2.4 Prime and coprime numbers . 18 3 Euclidean division, Bezout theorem, linear diophantine equations 21 3.1 Euclidean division . 21 3.2 Euclideanalgorithm ............................ 22 3.3 Bezout'sidentity .............................. 23 3.4 Application: linear diophantine equations. 26 4 The fundamental theorem of arithmetic 29 4.1 Thetheorem................................. 29 4.2 Applications................................. 31 4.3 Primality-testing and factorization . 33 II Arithmetic Functions 37 5 Arithmetic Functions 39 5.1 Definitions, examples . 39 5.2 Euler'sfunction............................... 41 5.3 Convolution, M¨obius inversion . 42 3 4 CONTENTS III Modular arithmetic on Z 45 6 Congruences 47 6.1 Motivation.................................. 47 6.2 Definition and first properties . 48 7 Congruence equations 53 7.1 Congruences and polynomials . 53 7.2 Linear congruences . 54 7.2.1 Simple linear congruences . 54 7.2.2 Simultaneous linear congruences, chinese remainder theorem . 57 7.2.3 Congruences with prime modulus . 61 7.2.4 Congruences with prime power modulus . 64 8 The ring pZ{nZ; `; ¨q, its group of unit Un, applications 67 8.1 Algebraicinterlude ............................. 67 8.2 The ring pZ{nZ; `;:q and its group of Units . 69 8.3 Another proof of the multiplicativity of the Euler function . 72 8.4 Application to cryptography . 74 8.5 Modular arithmetic revisited by algebra . 77 9 Quadratic reciprocity 83 9.1 The legendre symbol . 83 9.2 Euler's Criterion . 83 9.3 The Quadratic Reciprocity Law . 85 9.4 A Lemma of Gauss . 86 9.4.1 A group theoretic proof . 88 9.4.2 Applications . 89 9.4.3 Jacobi symbols . 91 10 Continued fractions 95 10.1Introduction................................. 95 10.2 Continued fractions for quadratic irrationals. 98 10.3Pell'sequation................................ 101 11 Gaussian integers 105 11.1 Basic properties . 105 11.2 Fermat's two square theorem . 107 11.3 Pythagorean triples . 109 11.4 Primes of the form 4n ` 1 ......................... 111 12 Other diophantine equation 113 12.1 Fermat's equation . 113 12.2 Mordell's equation . 115 12.3 The 'abc'-conjecture . 117 12.4 Mordell's conjecture . 118 Introduction The older term for number theory is arithmetic. By the early twentieth century, it had been superseded by "number theory". The word "arithmetic" (from the Greek, arithmos which means "number") is used by the general public to mean "elementary calculations"; it has also acquired other meanings in mathematical logic, as in Peano arithmetic, and computer science, as in floating point arithmetic. Arithmetic is the old- est and most elementary branch of mathematics, used very popularly, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of operations that combine num- bers. The use of the term arithmetic for number theory regained some ground in the second half of the 20th century, arguably in part due to French influence. In particular, arithmetical is preferred as an adjective to number-theoretic. Elementary arithmetic starts with the natural numbers and the written symbols (dig- its) which represent them. The process for combining a pair of these numbers with the four basic operations traditionally relies on memorized results for small values of num- bers, including the contents of a multiplication table to assist with multiplication and division. Elementary arithmetic also includes fractions and negative numbers, which can be represented on a number line. Number theory is devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well as the properties of objects made out of integers (e.g., rational numbers) or defined as generalizations of the integers (e.g., algebraic integers). Integers can be considered either in themselves or as solutions to equations (Diophan- tine geometry). Questions in number theory are often best understood through the study of analytical objects (e.g., the Riemann zeta function) that encode properties of the integers, primes or other number-theoretic objects in some fashion (analytic num- ber theory). One may also study real numbers in relation to rational numbers, e.g., as approximated by the latter (Diophantine approximation). 5 6 CONTENTS Fixing notations Symbol Meaning @ for all, for every; D there exists (at least one); D! there exists exactly one; s:t: such that; ñ implies; ô if and only if; x P A the point x belongs to a set A x R A the point x does not belongs to the set A N the set of natural number (counting numbers) 1; 2; 3;::: Z the set of all the integers (positive, negative or zero) Q the set of rational numbers R the set of real numbers C the set of complex numbers tx P A : Ppxqu the subset of the elements x in a set A such that the statement Ppxq is true H the empty set, the set with nothing in it x P A means that the point x belongs to a set A or that x is a element of A A Ď BA is a subset of B i.e. any element of A also belongs to B (in symbolic notation: x P A ñ x P B that we use when doing proofs). A “ B the sets A and B contain exactly the same points This statement is equivalent to saying: A Ď B AND B Ď A tpu singleton set (Logically speaking, the "point p" is not the same thing as "the sets tpu whose only element is p.") A X B indicates the intersection of two sets; An element x is in A X B ô x P A AND x P B. Notice A X B “ B X A. A Y B the union of two sets. An element x lies in A Y B ô Either x P A OR x P B (or BOTH). Notice A Y B “ B Y A. 7 8 CONTENTS Symbol Meaning n i“1 Ai “ A1 X ¨ ¨ ¨ X An the set tx : x P Ai f or every iu where Ai are sets n Ai “ A1 Y ¨ ¨ ¨ Y An the set tx : D some i such that x P Aiu where Ai are sets Şi“1 Aα the set tx : x P Aα f or every α P Iu Ťα where Aα are sets and I a set of indexes Ş α Aα the set tx : D some i such that x P Aiu where Aα are sets and I a set of indexes AŤzB the difference set tx : x P A and x R Bu (Note that AzB “ A X Bc. Ac the complement of a set A. Here A is a subset of some larger space X and its complement is the set Ac “ tx P X : x R Au “ XzA. A ˆ B the cartesian product tpa; bq|a P A and b P Bu n A1 ˆ ¨ ¨ ¨ ˆ An “ i“1 Ai the product of the sets Ai tpa1;:::; anq|ai P Aiu 8 Ai the product of the sets Ai tpa1;:::; an;::: q|ai P Aiu i“1 ± Aα the set consisting of all indexed words paαqαPI, where aα P Aα. ±αPI These are the maps φ : I ÑYαPIAα such that φpαq P Aα ± for every index α P I. Mappings φ : X Ñ Y A map φ from a set X to another set Y is an operation that associates x ÞÑ φpxq each element in X to a single element in Y. Unless stated otherwise, mapping φpxq are assumed to be defined for every x P X. If not, De f pφq domain of definition of φ, i.e. the points such that φ is defined. Rangepφq “ φpXq the range of the map φ i.e. tb P Y : Da P X such that b “ φpaqu φpSq the forward image for any subset of S Ď X i.e. tb P Y : Da P S such that b “ φpaqu “ tφpaq : a P Au φ : X ãÑ Y φ is injective or "one-to-one" i.e. if a1 ‰ a2 ñ φpa1q ‰ φpa2q φ : X Y φ is surjective i.e. if φpXq “ Y φ : X » Y φ is bijective i.e. φ is both one-to-one and onto i.e. @b P Y; D!a P X such that φpaq “ b “ φ φ, : X Ñ Y are equal, i.e. they have same action: φpaq “ paq for all a P X. (Ex: px2 ` x4q{p1 ` x2q “ x2.) Γpφq the graph of Γpφq which is a subset of the Cartesian product set X ˆ Y: tpx; yq P X ˆ Y : y “ φpxqu “ tpx; φpxqq : x P Xu pxq ˆ Y "vertical fiber" for each x P X, tpx; yq : y P Yu “ tall points pa; bq P X ˆ Y such that a “ xu Γpφq X ppxq ˆ Yq “ tpx; bqu with b “ φpxq, knowing φ is equivalent with knowing Γpφq. idX : X Ñ X the identity map on X sending each point x P X to x itself. φ´1 : Y Ñ X the inverse map of φ : X Ñ Y such that φ´1pφpaqq “ a, for all a P X and φpφ´1pbqq “ b, for all b P Y φ´1pbq “ the unique element a P X such that φpaq “ b.
Recommended publications
  • A Tour of Fermat's World
    ATOUR OF FERMAT’S WORLD Ching-Li Chai Samples of numbers More samples in arithemetic ATOUR OF FERMAT’S WORLD Congruent numbers Fermat’s infinite descent Counting solutions Ching-Li Chai Zeta functions and their special values Department of Mathematics Modular forms and University of Pennsylvania L-functions Elliptic curves, complex multiplication and Philadelphia, March, 2016 L-functions Weil conjecture and equidistribution ATOUR OF Outline FERMAT’S WORLD Ching-Li Chai 1 Samples of numbers Samples of numbers More samples in 2 More samples in arithemetic arithemetic Congruent numbers Fermat’s infinite 3 Congruent numbers descent Counting solutions 4 Fermat’s infinite descent Zeta functions and their special values 5 Counting solutions Modular forms and L-functions Elliptic curves, 6 Zeta functions and their special values complex multiplication and 7 Modular forms and L-functions L-functions Weil conjecture and equidistribution 8 Elliptic curves, complex multiplication and L-functions 9 Weil conjecture and equidistribution ATOUR OF Some familiar whole numbers FERMAT’S WORLD Ching-Li Chai Samples of numbers More samples in §1. Examples of numbers arithemetic Congruent numbers Fermat’s infinite 2, the only even prime number. descent 30, the largest positive integer m such that every positive Counting solutions Zeta functions and integer between 2 and m and relatively prime to m is a their special values prime number. Modular forms and L-functions 3 3 3 3 1729 = 12 + 1 = 10 + 9 , Elliptic curves, complex the taxi cab number. As Ramanujan remarked to Hardy, multiplication and it is the smallest positive integer which can be expressed L-functions Weil conjecture and as a sum of two positive integers in two different ways.
    [Show full text]
  • A Primer of Analytic Number Theory: from Pythagoras to Riemann Jeffrey Stopple Index More Information
    Cambridge University Press 0521813093 - A Primer of Analytic Number Theory: From Pythagoras to Riemann Jeffrey Stopple Index More information Index #, number of elements in a set, 101 and ␨(2n), 154–157 A =, Abel summation, 202, 204, 213 and Euler-Maclaurin summation, 220 definition, 201 definition, 149 Abel’s Theorem Bernoulli, Jacob, 146, 150, 152 I, 140, 145, 201, 267, 270, 272 Bessarion, Cardinal, 282 II, 143, 145, 198, 267, 270, 272, 318 binary quadratic forms, 270 absolute convergence definition, 296 applications, 133, 134, 139, 157, 167, 194, equivalence relation ∼, 296 198, 208, 215, 227, 236, 237, 266 reduced, 302 definition, 133 Birch Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture, xi, xii, abundant numbers, 27, 29, 31, 43, 54, 60, 61, 291–294, 326 82, 177, 334, 341, 353 Black Death, 43, 127 definition, 27 Blake, William, 216 Achilles, 125 Boccaccio’s Decameron, 281 aliquot parts, 27 Boethius, 28, 29, 43, 278 aliquot sequences, 335 Bombelli, Raphael, 282 amicable pairs, 32–35, 39, 43, 335 de Bouvelles, Charles, 61 definition, 334 Bradwardine, Thomas, 43, 127 ibn Qurra’s algorithm, 33 in Book of Genesis, 33 C2, twin prime constant, 182 amplitude, 237, 253 Cambyses, Persian emperor, 5 Analytic Class Number Formula, 273, 293, Cardano, Girolamo, 25, 282 311–315 Catalan-Dickson conjecture, 336 analytic continuation, 196 Cataldi, Pietro, 30, 333 Anderson, Laurie, ix cattle problem, 261–263 Apollonius, 261, 278 Chebyshev, Pafnuty, 105, 108 Archimedes, 20, 32, 92, 125, 180, 260, 285 Chinese Remainder Theorem, 259, 266, 307, area, basic properties, 89–91, 95, 137, 138, 308, 317 198, 205, 346 Cicero, 21 Aristotle’s Metaphysics,5,127 class number, see also h arithmetical function, 39 Clay Mathematics Institute, xi ∼, asymptotic, 64 comparison test Athena, 28 infinite series, 133 St.
    [Show full text]
  • A Theorem of Fermat on Congruent Number Curves Lorenz Halbeisen, Norbert Hungerbühler
    A Theorem of Fermat on Congruent Number Curves Lorenz Halbeisen, Norbert Hungerbühler To cite this version: Lorenz Halbeisen, Norbert Hungerbühler. A Theorem of Fermat on Congruent Number Curves. Hardy-Ramanujan Journal, Hardy-Ramanujan Society, 2019, Hardy-Ramanujan Journal, 41, pp.15 – 21. hal-01983260 HAL Id: hal-01983260 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01983260 Submitted on 16 Jan 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Hardy-Ramanujan Journal 41 (2018), 15-21 submitted 28/03/2018, accepted 06/07/2018, revised 06/07/2018 A Theorem of Fermat on Congruent Number Curves Lorenz Halbeisen and Norbert Hungerb¨uhler To the memory of S. Srinivasan Abstract. A positive integer A is called a congruent number if A is the area of a right-angled triangle with three rational sides. Equivalently, A is a congruent number if and only if the congruent number curve y2 = x3 − A2x has a rational point (x; y) 2 Q2 with y =6 0. Using a theorem of Fermat, we give an elementary proof for the fact that congruent number curves do not contain rational points of finite order.
    [Show full text]
  • Congruent Numbers with Many Prime Factors
    Congruent numbers with many prime factors Ye Tian1 Morningside Center of Mathematics, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China † Edited by S. T. Yau, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, and approved October 30, 2012 (received for review September 28, 2012) Mohammed Ben Alhocain, in an Arab manuscript of the 10th Remark 2: The kernel A½2 and the image 2A of the multiplication century, stated that the principal object of the theory of rational by 2 on A are characterized by Gauss’ genus theory. Note that the × 2 right triangles is to find a square that when increased or diminished multiplication by 2 induces an isomorphism A½4=A½2’A½2 ∩ 2A. by a certain number, m becomes a square [Dickson LE (1971) History By Gauss’ genus theory, Condition 1 is equivalent in that there are of the Theory of Numbers (Chelsea, New York), Vol 2, Chap 16]. In exactly an odd number of spanning subtrees in the graph whose modern language, this object is to find a rational point of infinite ; ⋯; ≠ vertices are p0 pk and whose edges are those pipj, i j,withthe order on the elliptic curve my2 = x3 − x. Heegner constructed such quadratic residue symbol pi = − 1. It is then clear that Theorem 1 rational points in the case that m are primes congruent to 5,7 mod- pj ulo 8 or twice primes congruent to 3 modulo 8 [Monsky P (1990) follows from Theorem 2. Math Z – ’ 204:45 68]. We extend Heegner s result to integers m with The congruent number problem is not only to determine many prime divisors and give a sketch in this report.
    [Show full text]
  • Single Digits
    ...................................single digits ...................................single digits In Praise of Small Numbers MARC CHAMBERLAND Princeton University Press Princeton & Oxford Copyright c 2015 by Princeton University Press Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, 6 Oxford Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1TW press.princeton.edu All Rights Reserved The second epigraph by Paul McCartney on page 111 is taken from The Beatles and is reproduced with permission of Curtis Brown Group Ltd., London on behalf of The Beneficiaries of the Estate of Hunter Davies. Copyright c Hunter Davies 2009. The epigraph on page 170 is taken from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince:Copyrightc J.K. Rowling 2005 The epigraphs on page 205 are reprinted wiht the permission of the Free Press, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., from Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Austistic Savant by Daniel Tammet. Copyright c 2006 by Daniel Tammet. Originally published in Great Britain in 2006 by Hodder & Stoughton. All rights reserved. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Chamberland, Marc, 1964– Single digits : in praise of small numbers / Marc Chamberland. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-691-16114-3 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Mathematical analysis. 2. Sequences (Mathematics) 3. Combinatorial analysis. 4. Mathematics–Miscellanea. I. Title. QA300.C4412 2015 510—dc23 2014047680 British Library
    [Show full text]
  • Quantum Arithmetics and the Relationship Between Real and P-Adic Physics
    Quantum Arithmetics and the Relationship between Real and p-Adic Physics M. Pitk¨anen Email: [email protected]. http://tgd.wippiespace.com/public_html/. November 7, 2011 Abstract This chapter suggests answers to the basic questions of the p-adicization program, which are following. 1. Is there a duality between real and p-adic physics? What is its precice mathematic formula- tion? In particular, what is the concrete map p-adic physics in long scales (in real sense) to real physics in short scales? Can one find a rigorous mathematical formulationof canonical identification induced by the map p ! 1=p in pinary expansion of p-adic number such that it is both continuous and respects symmetries. 2. What is the origin of the p-adic length scale hypothesis suggesting that primes near power of two are physically preferred? Why Mersenne primes are especially important? The answer to these questions proposed in this chapter relies on the following ideas inspired by the model of Shnoll effect. The first piece of the puzzle is the notion of quantum arithmetics formulated in non-rigorous manner already in the model of Shnoll effect. 1. Quantum arithmetics is induced by the map of primes to quantum primes by the standard formula. Quantum integer is obtained by mapping the primes in the prime decomposition of integer to quantum primes. Quantum sum is induced by the ordinary sum by requiring that also sum commutes with the quantization. 2. The construction is especially interesting if the integer defining the quantum phase is prime. One can introduce the notion of quantum rational defined as series in powers of the preferred prime defining quantum phase.
    [Show full text]
  • Arxiv:0903.4611V1 [Math.NT]
    RIGHT TRIANGLES WITH ALGEBRAIC SIDES AND ELLIPTIC CURVES OVER NUMBER FIELDS E. GIRONDO, G. GONZALEZ-DIEZ,´ E. GONZALEZ-JIM´ ENEZ,´ R. STEUDING, J. STEUDING Abstract. Given any positive integer n, we prove the existence of in- finitely many right triangles with area n and side lengths in certain number fields. This generalizes the famous congruent number problem. The proof allows the explicit construction of these triangles; for this purpose we find for any positive integer n an explicit cubic number field Q(λ) (depending on n) and an explicit point Pλ of infinite order in the Mordell-Weil group of the elliptic curve Y 2 = X3 n2X over Q(λ). − 1. Congruent numbers over the rationals A positive integer n is called a congruent number if there exists a right ∗ triangle with rational sides and area equal to n, i.e., there exist a, b, c Q with ∈ 2 2 2 1 a + b = c and 2 ab = n. (1) It is easy to decide whether there is a right triangle of given area and inte- gral sides (thanks to Euclid’s characterization of the Pythagorean triples). The case of rational sides, known as the congruent number problem, is not completely understood. Fibonacci showed that 5 is a congruent number 3 20 41 (since one may take a = 2 , b = 3 and c = 6 ). Fermat found that 1, 2 and 3 are not congruent numbers. Hence, there is no perfect square amongst arXiv:0903.4611v1 [math.NT] 26 Mar 2009 the congruent numbers since otherwise the corresponding rational triangle would be similar to one with area equal to 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Quantum Arithmetics and the Relationship Between Real and P-Adic Physics
    CONTENTS 1 Quantum Arithmetics and the Relationship between Real and p-Adic Physics M. Pitk¨anen, June 19, 2019 Email: [email protected]. http://tgdtheory.com/public_html/. Recent postal address: Rinnekatu 2-4 A 8, 03620, Karkkila, Finland. Contents 1 Introduction 4 1.1 Overall View About Variants Of Quantum Integers . .5 1.2 Motivations For Quantum Arithmetics . .6 1.2.1 Model for Shnoll effect . .6 1.2.2 What could be the deeper mathematics behind dualities? . .6 1.2.3 Could quantum arithmetics allow a variant of canonical identification re- specting both symmetries and continuity? . .7 1.2.4 Quantum integers and preferred extremals of K¨ahleraction . .8 1.3 Correspondence Along Common Rationals And Canonical Identification: Two Man- ners To Relate Real And P-Adic Physics . .8 1.3.1 Identification along common rationals . .8 1.3.2 Canonical identification and its variants . .9 1.3.3 Can one fuse the two views about real-p-adic correspondence . .9 1.4 Brief Summary Of The General Vision . 10 1.4.1 Two options for quantum integers . 11 1.4.2 Quantum counterparts of classical groups . 11 2 Various options for Quantum Arithmetics 12 2.1 Comparing options I and II . 12 2.2 About the choice of the quantum parameter q ..................... 14 2.3 Canonical identification for quantum rationals and symmetries . 15 2.4 More about the non-uniqueness of the correspondence between p-adic integers and their quantum counterparts . 16 2.5 The three basic options for Quantum Arithmetics . 18 CONTENTS 2 3 Could Lie groups possess quantum counterparts with commutative elements exist? 18 3.1 Quantum counterparts of special linear groups .
    [Show full text]
  • A Generalization of the Congruent Number Problem
    A GENERALIZATION OF THE CONGRUENT NUMBER PROBLEM LARRY ROLEN Abstract. We study a certain generalization of the classical Congruent Number Prob- lem. Specifically, we study integer areas of rational triangles with an arbitrary fixed angle θ. These numbers are called θ-congruent. We give an elliptic curve criterion for determining whether a given integer n is θ-congruent. We then consider the “density” of integers n which are θ-congruent, as well as the related problem giving the “density” of angles θ for which a fixed n is congruent. Assuming the Shafarevich-Tate conjecture, we prove that both proportions are at least 50% in the limit. To obtain our result we use the recently proven p-parity conjecture due to Monsky and the Dokchitsers as well as a theorem of Helfgott on average root numbers in algebraic families. 1. Introduction and Statement of Results The study of right triangles with integer side lengths dates back to the work of Pythagoras and Euclid, and the ancients completely classified such triangles. Another problem involving triangles with “nice” side lengths was first studied systematically by the Arab mathematicians of the 10th Century. This problem asks for a classification of all possible areas of right triangles with rational side lengths. A positive integer n is congruent if it is the area of a right triangle with all rational side lengths. In other words, there exist rational numbers a; b; c satisfying ab a2 + b2 = c2 = n: 2 The problem of classifying congruent numbers reduces to the cases where n is square-free. We can scale areas trivially.
    [Show full text]
  • Congruent Numbers
    Congruent Numbers Kent E. Morrison Here are the first 10 congruent numbers along with the side lengths of the associated right trian- gles. n sides 5 3/2, 20/3, 41/6 6 3, 4, 5 7 24/5, 35/12, 337/60 13 780/323, 323/30, 106921/9690 14 8/3, 63/6, 65/6 15 15/2, 4, 17/2 20 3, 40/3, 41/3 21 7/2, 12, 25/2 22 33/35, 140/3, 4901/105 23 80155/20748, 41496/3485, 905141617/72306780 If n is congruent, then multiplying n by the square of a whole number gives another congruent number. For example, since 5 is congruent, it follows that 20 = 4 ¢ 5 is congruent. The sides of the triangle are doubled and the area of the triangle is quadrupled. So, the search for congruent numbers focuses on those n which are not multiples of a square. These are called square-free. Elliptic curves All recent results about congruent number stem from the fact that n is a congruent number if and only if the elliptic curve y2 = x3 ¡ n2x contains a rational point with y =6 0, equivalently, a rational point of infinite order. The first person to exploit this in a nontrivial way was Heegner, who developed the theory of what are now called Heegner points. In 1952 he proved that if p ´ 5 mod 8 or p ´ 7 mod 8 is prime, then p is a congruent number. This result is unconditional, while (as described below) most of the later results rely on the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture.
    [Show full text]
  • Congruent Numbers
    COMMENTARY Congruent numbers John H. Coates1 Emmanuel College, Cambridge CB2 3AP, England; and Department of Mathematics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 790-784, Korea umber theory is the part of congruent numbers are of this form; for modern arithmetic geometry. The first mathematics concerned with example, the right-angled triangle with person to prove the existence of infinitely N the mysterious and hidden side lengths [225/30, 272/30, 353/30] has many square-free congruent numbers was properties of the integers and area 34). The proof of this simple general Heegner, whose now-celebrated paper rational numbers (by a rational number, assertion about the integers of Form 1 (5) published in 1952 showed that every we mean the ratio of two integers). The still seems beyond the resources of num- prime number p of the form p =8n +5 congruent number problem, the written ber theory today. However, the paper in is a congruent number. The importance history of which can be traced back at least PNAS by Tian (2) makes dramatic prog- of Heegner’s paper was realized only in a millennium, is the oldest unsolved major ress toward it, by proving that there are the late 1960s, after the discovery of the problem in number theory, and perhaps many highly composite congruent numbers conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer in the whole of mathematics. We say that (1). We recall, without detailed explana- a right-angled triangle is “rational” if all its Tian at last sees how to tion, that the (unproven) conjecture of sides have rational length.
    [Show full text]
  • Minsquare Factors and Maxfix Covers of Graphs
    Minsquare Factors and Maxfix Covers of Graphs Nicola Apollonio1 and Andr´as Seb˝o2 1 Department of Statistics, Probability, and Applied Statistics University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy 2 CNRS, Leibniz-IMAG, Grenoble, France Abstract. We provide a polynomial algorithm that determines for any given undirected graph, positive integer k and various objective functions on the edges or on the degree sequences, as input, k edges that minimize the given objective function. The tractable objective functions include linear, sum of squares, etc. The source of our motivation and at the same time our main application is a subset of k vertices in a line graph, that cover as many edges as possible (maxfix cover). Besides the general al- gorithm and connections to other problems, the extension of the usual improving paths for graph factors could be interesting in itself: the ob- jects that take the role of the improving walks for b-matchings or other general factorization problems turn out to be edge-disjoint unions of pairs of alternating walks. The algorithm we suggest also works if for any sub- set of vertices upper, lower bound constraints or parity constraints are given. In particular maximum (or minimum) weight b-matchings of given size can be determined in polynomial time, combinatorially, in more than one way. 1 Introduction Let G =(V,E) be a graph that may contain loops and parallel edges, and let k>0 be an integer. The main result of this work is to provide a polynomial algorithm for finding a subgraph of cardinality k that minimizes some pregiven objective function on the edges or the degree sequences of the graph.
    [Show full text]