Fermat
Pierre de Fermat (; ; 17 August 1601 – 12 January 1665) was a French mathematician who is given credit for early developments that led to infinitesimal calculus, including his technique of adequality. In particular, he is recognized for his discovery of an original method of finding the greatest and the smallest ordinates of curved lines, which is analogous to that of differential calculus, then unknown, and his research into number theory. He made notable contributions to analytic geometry, probability, and optics. He is best known for his Fermat's principle for light propagation and his Fermat's Last Theorem in number theory, which he described in a note at the margin of a copy of Diophantus' ''Arithmetica''. He was also a lawyer at the ''parlement'' of Toulouse, France. Biography Fermat was born in 1601 in Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France—the late 15th-century mansion where Fermat was born is now a museum. He was from Gascony, where his father, Dominique Fermat, was a wealthy ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fermat's Last Theorem
In number theory, Fermat's Last Theorem (sometimes called Fermat's conjecture, especially in older texts) states that no three positive number, positive integers , , and satisfy the equation for any integer value of greater than . The cases and have been known since antiquity to have infinitely many solutions.Singh, pp. 18–20 The proposition was first stated as a theorem by Pierre de Fermat around 1637 in the margin of a copy of ''Arithmetica''. Fermat added that he had a proof that was too large to fit in the margin. Although other statements claimed by Fermat without proof were subsequently proven by others and credited as theorems of Fermat (for example, Fermat's theorem on sums of two squares), Fermat's Last Theorem resisted proof, leading to doubt that Fermat ever had a correct proof. Consequently, the proposition became known as a conjecture rather than a theorem. After 358 years of effort by mathematicians, Wiles's proof of Fermat's Last Theorem, the first success ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fermat's Principle
Fermat's principle, also known as the principle of least time, is the link between geometrical optics, ray optics and physical optics, wave optics. Fermat's principle states that the path taken by a Ray (optics), ray between two given points is the path that can be traveled in the least time. First proposed by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in 1662, as a means of explaining the Snell's law, ordinary law of refraction of light (Fig.1), Fermat's principle was initially controversial because it seemed to ascribe knowledge and intent to nature. Not until the 19th century was it understood that nature's ability to test alternative paths is merely a fundamental property of waves. If points ''A'' and ''B'' are given, a wavefront expanding from ''A'' sweeps all possible ray paths radiating from ''A'', whether they pass through ''B'' or not. If the wavefront reaches point ''B'', it sweeps not only the ''ray'' path(s) from ''A'' to ''B'', but also an infinitude of near ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Adequality
Adequality is a technique developed by Pierre de Fermat in his treatise ''Methodus ad disquirendam maximam et minimam'' (a Latin treatise circulated in France c. 1636 ) to calculate maxima and minima of functions, tangents to curves, area, center of mass, least action, and other problems in calculus. According to André Weil, Fermat "introduces the technical term adaequalitas, adaequare, etc., which he says he has borrowed from Diophantus. As Diophantus V.11 shows, it means an approximate equality, and this is indeed how Fermat explains the word in one of his later writings." (Weil 1973). Diophantus coined the word παρισότης (''parisotēs'') to refer to an approximate equality. Claude Gaspard Bachet de Méziriac translated Diophantus's Greek word into Latin as ''adaequalitas''. Paul Tannery's French translation of Fermat's Latin treatises on maxima and minima used the words ''adéquation'' and ''adégaler''. Fermat's method Fermat used ''adequality'' first to find max ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Number Theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers and arithmetic functions. Number theorists study prime numbers as well as the properties of mathematical objects constructed from integers (for example, rational numbers), or defined as generalizations of the integers (for example, algebraic integers). Integers can be considered either in themselves or as solutions to equations (Diophantine geometry). Questions in number theory can often be understood through the study of Complex analysis, analytical objects, such as the Riemann zeta function, that encode properties of the integers, primes or other number-theoretic objects in some fashion (analytic number theory). One may also study real numbers in relation to rational numbers, as for instance how irrational numbers can be approximated by fractions (Diophantine approximation). Number theory is one of the oldest branches of mathematics alongside geometry. One quirk of number theory is ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fermat's Little Theorem
In number theory, Fermat's little theorem states that if is a prime number, then for any integer , the number is an integer multiple of . In the notation of modular arithmetic, this is expressed as a^p \equiv a \pmod p. For example, if and , then , and is an integer multiple of . If is not divisible by , that is, if is coprime to , then Fermat's little theorem is equivalent to the statement that is an integer multiple of , or in symbols: a^ \equiv 1 \pmod p. For example, if and , then , and is a multiple of . Fermat's little theorem is the basis for the Fermat primality test and is one of the fundamental results of elementary number theory. The theorem is named after Pierre de Fermat, who stated it in 1640. It is called the "little theorem" to distinguish it from Fermat's Last Theorem.. History Pierre de Fermat first stated the theorem in a letter dated October 18, 1640, to his friend and confidant Frénicle de Bessy. His formulation is equivalent to the following ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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List Of Things Named After Pierre De Fermat
This is a list of things named after Pierre de Fermat, a French amateur mathematician. * Fermat–Apollonius circle *Fermat–Catalan conjecture *Fermat cubic *Fermat curve * Fermat–Euler theorem *Fermat number * Fermat point * Fermat–Weber problem *Fermat polygonal number theorem * Fermat polynomial * Fermat primality test * Fermat pseudoprime * Fermat quintic threefold *Fermat quotient * Fermat's difference quotient * Fermat's factorization method *Fermat's Last Theorem *Fermat's little theorem * Fermat's method * Fermat's method of descent *Fermat's principle *Fermat's right triangle theorem *Fermat's spiral *Fermat's theorem (stationary points) *Fermat's theorem on sums of two squares * Fermat theory * Pell–Fermat equation * 12007 Fermat Other * Fermat (computer algebra system) * Fermat (crater) *Fermat Prize {{DEFAULTSORT:Things named after Pierre de Fermat Fermat Pierre de Fermat (; ; 17 August 1601 – 12 January 1665) was a French mathematician who is given cr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Diophantus
Diophantus of Alexandria () (; ) was a Greek mathematician who was the author of the '' Arithmetica'' in thirteen books, ten of which are still extant, made up of arithmetical problems that are solved through algebraic equations. Although Joseph-Louis Lagrange called Diophantus "the inventor of algebra" he did not invent it; however, his exposition became the standard within the Neoplatonic schools of Late antiquity, and its translation into Arabic in the 9th century AD and had influence in the development of later algebra: Diophantus' method of solution matches medieval Arabic algebra in its concepts and overall procedure. The 1621 edition of ''Arithmetica'' by Bachet gained fame after Pierre de Fermat wrote his famous " Last Theorem" in the margins of his copy. In modern use, Diophantine equations are algebraic equations with integer coefficients for which integer solutions are sought. Diophantine geometry and Diophantine approximations are two other subareas of number theo ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Arithmetica
Diophantus of Alexandria () (; ) was a Greek mathematics, Greek mathematician who was the author of the ''Arithmetica'' in thirteen books, ten of which are still extant, made up of arithmetical problems that are solved through algebraic equations. Although Joseph-Louis Lagrange called Diophantus "the inventor of algebra" he did not invent it; however, his exposition became the standard within the Neoplatonic schools of Late antiquity, and its translation into Arabic in the 9th century AD and had influence in the development of later algebra: Diophantus' method of solution matches medieval Arabic algebra in its concepts and overall procedure. The 1621 edition of ''Arithmetica'' by Bachet gained fame after Pierre de Fermat wrote his famous "Fermat's Last Theorem, Last Theorem" in the margins of his copy. In modern use, Diophantine equation, Diophantine equations are algebraic equations with integer coefficients for which integer solutions are sought. Diophantine geometry and Dioph ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Beaumont-de-Lomagne
Beaumont-de-Lomagne (; Languedocien dialect, Languedocien: ''Bèumont de Lomanha'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in southern France. Geography The river Gimone runs through the town. History Beaumont-de-Lomagne, bastide, was founded in 1276 following the act of coregency between the abbey of Grandselve and King Philip III of France – the King was represented by his seneschal for the former County of Toulouse, Eustache de Beaumarchais. In 1278 the town was granted a very liberal charter of laws, by the standards of the period, defining the rights and duties of its inhabitants. In 1280, work commenced on a large church; its flat apse shows the influence of Cîteaux. The bell-tower, was made in the fifteenth century and resembles that of Basilique St-Sernin, Toulouse, Saint-Sernin in Toulouse. Construction finished around 1430 and the Bishop o ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Analytic Geometry
In mathematics, analytic geometry, also known as coordinate geometry or Cartesian geometry, is the study of geometry using a coordinate system. This contrasts with synthetic geometry. Analytic geometry is used in physics and engineering, and also in aviation, Aerospace engineering, rocketry, space science, and spaceflight. It is the foundation of most modern fields of geometry, including Algebraic geometry, algebraic, Differential geometry, differential, Discrete geometry, discrete and computational geometry. Usually the Cartesian coordinate system is applied to manipulate equations for planes, straight lines, and circles, often in two and sometimes three dimensions. Geometrically, one studies the Euclidean plane (two dimensions) and Euclidean space. As taught in school books, analytic geometry can be explained more simply: it is concerned with defining and representing geometric shapes in a numerical way and extracting numerical information from shapes' numerical definitions and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mathematics
Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many areas of mathematics, which include number theory (the study of numbers), algebra (the study of formulas and related structures), geometry (the study of shapes and spaces that contain them), Mathematical analysis, analysis (the study of continuous changes), and set theory (presently used as a foundation for all mathematics). Mathematics involves the description and manipulation of mathematical object, abstract objects that consist of either abstraction (mathematics), abstractions from nature orin modern mathematicspurely abstract entities that are stipulated to have certain properties, called axioms. Mathematics uses pure reason to proof (mathematics), prove properties of objects, a ''proof'' consisting of a succession of applications of in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |