The videos on this page motivate introduce Fermat’s Last Theorem. Errors made by Fermat in his proof of this theorem provides us with some motivation for the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic.
(*) Students will not be tested on their understanding of Fermat’s Last Theorem.
Historical Development of Fermat’s Last Theorem
Fermat’s Last Theorem was formulated in the 17th century, by Fermat. However, a formal proof of this theorem was only discovered very recently.
Fermat’s Error?
Most mathematicians believe Fermat made an error in his proof of his theorem, and that his error was connected to the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic (FTA). To understand the conditions under which the FTA can be applied, we need to develop a proof of this theorem. We will explore a proof of the FTA at a later point in this course.
Specific Cases of Fermat’s Last Theorem
In this video, we explore specific cases of Fermat’s Last Theorem, for n =1, 2, 3, 4. Later in the course we will take a closer look at the case when n = 4.
The Beal Prize
There are many open problems in number theory, one of which is the Beal Prize, currently worth $1 million.
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