Fermat's Last Theorem
theorem in number theory that there are no nontrivial integer solutions of xⁿ+yⁿ=zⁿ for integer n>2 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fermat's Last Theorem or FLT is a very famous idea in mathematics. It says that:
- If is a whole number larger than 2, then the equation has no solutions when x, y and z are natural numbers.
Or,
- It is impossible to express in whole numbers two cubes, which added equal a third cube. Furthermore, it is impossible with anything higher than squares.
This means that there are no examples where , and are natural numbers, i.e. whole numbers larger than zero, and where is a whole number bigger than 2. Pierre de Fermat wrote about it in 1637 inside his copy of a book called Arithmetica. He said "I have a proof of this theorem, but there is not enough space in this margin to write it". However, no correct proof was found for 357 years. It was finally proven in 1995. Most mathematicians do not think that Fermat really had a proof of this theorem.
In its original the problem is as follows:
Cubum autem in duos cubos, aut quadratoquadratum in duos quadratoquadratos & generaliter nullam in infinitum ultra quadratum potestatem in duos eiusdem nominis fas est dividere cuius rei demonstrationem mirabilem sane detexi. Hanc marginis exiguitas non caperet.