fermat's theorem Definition and 14 Threads

  1. M

    Why Can We Take Limits of Both Sides? [Answered]

    For this, Does someone please know why we are allowed to take limits of both side [boxed in orange]? Also for the thing boxed in pink, could we not divide by -h if ##h > 0##? Many thanks!
  2. M

    Find the units digit of ## 3^{100} ## by the use of Fermat's theorem

    Consider modulo ## 10 ##. Then ## 10=5\cdot 2 ##. Applying the Fermat's theorem produces: ## 3^{4}\equiv 1\pmod {5} ##. This means ## (3^{4})^{25}=3^{100}\equiv 1\pmod {5} ##. Observe that ## 3\equiv 1\pmod {2}\implies 3^{100}\equiv 1\pmod {2} ##. Now we have ## 5\mid (3^{100}-1) ## and ##...
  3. F

    MHB Fermat's Theorem: Did Fermat Have a Proof?

    In your opinion did Fermat have a proof for his theorem?
  4. I

    MHB Fermat's theorem (stationary points) of higher dimensions

    [FONT=Georgia]Look at this page and the Proof part, Fermat's theorem (stationary points) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [FONT=Georgia]How to change the proof 2 into a proof of higher dimensions or can you give a proof of Fermat's theorem of higher dimensions?
  5. B

    How Does the Secant Line Relate to Fermat's Theorem?

    I'm trying to understand something in Fermat's Theorem. I can't really phrase it in words, but I will write what my textbook says. Apparently if \lim_{x→c}\frac{f(x)-f(c)}{x-c} > 0 then there exists an open interval (a,b) containing c such that \frac{f(x)-f(c)}{x-c} > 0 for all...
  6. B

    Simple proof of Fermat's theorem?

    Can someone point out the error in the following "proof": Prove a^n + b^n =/ c^n for n>2, a,b,c>1 (=/ means not equal to) Let b=xa where x>1 and is from the set of real numbers generated by fractions, such that b is an integer so: a^n + (xa)^n =/ c^n Expanding a^n + x^n.a^n =/...
  7. E

    Fermat's theorem applied to multivariate functions

    Fermat's theorem provides that, if a function f(x) has a local max or min at a, and if f'(a) exists, then f'(a)=0. I was wondering whether a similar theory exists for a function f(x,y) or f(x,y,z) etc.
  8. dkotschessaa

    Is the work on Fermat's Theorem really done?

    I'm still relatively new to mathematics, in the sense of studying it with any degree of seriousness, so I have a question related to the general field of mathematics and a little bit on it's history. I haven't read Simon Singh's book yet,but a I understand the story on Fermat's Last Theorem...
  9. W

    Could someone explain to me Fermat's theorem?

    I DO NOT like this least time hocus pocus. I prefer the idea of causality. I just CANNOT stomach this idea. Here are my arguments (italicized text) almost verbatim from my notes against what I read (in bold). Someone please explain to me the whys and hows. Arguments against Fermat: "Given...
  10. E

    Fermat's Theorem: Proven by Euler and By Me?

    I'm talking about neither his "last theorem" nor his "little theorem", but another one. He suggested that x^2+2=y^3 can only have one solution (if we're dealing in natural numbers), which was (5,3). Euler reproved the theorem since, like so many others of his, the proof was lost. I can't...
  11. A

    Extension of Fermat's theorem?

    Hi! I assume you all know Fermat's last theorem. Well, has anyone considered the following extension to it? Assuming we're just using integers: We know that x1^n + x2^n = y^n has no solution for n > 2. However, what about this? For which values of k does x1^n+x2^n+...+xk^n = z^n...
  12. G

    What Makes a Vertex Dynamic in Shape Diversity?

    Edit in new post. Or Bumping with the edited change.
  13. U

    Fermat's Theorem: A Math Problem and the Smart Boy Who Proved It Wrong

    from: http://www.math.utah.edu/~cherk/puzzles.html I am stumped, I noticed the pattern in the digits of the numbers, but I do not see how I can link that to the possibility of forming such a statement with those numbers when n is greater than 2.
  14. T

    Fermat's theorem disproved (not really)

    I read a book on Fermat's last theorem (a^n + b^n = c^n has no integer solutions for n > 2) last summer and I found this while trying to find the actual proof: http://home.mindspring.com/~jbshand/ferm.html . It is a funny read if you have the time.
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