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André Weil: His Book on Number Theory and Indian References

In: Ancient Indian Leaps into Mathematics

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  • B. S. Yadav

Abstract

Summary After giving a brief description of André Weil as a man and mathematician, the article concentrates on his book Number Theory: An Approach Through History, and particularly on Chap.IX, in which he discusses the history and the solution of Pell’s equation. It is shown that it was the Indian mathematician Brahmagupta who first attempted to solve the equation, in the seventh century c.e. He defined a binary composition on the set of all solutions of the equation, a work of genuine ingenuity, leading to the result that if the equation has a nontrivial solution, then it has infinitely many such solutions. Lagrange showed that the equation does indeed have a nontrivial solution, and Dirichlet later solved the equation completely.

Suggested Citation

  • B. S. Yadav, 2009. "André Weil: His Book on Number Theory and Indian References," Springer Books, in: B.S. Yadav & Man Mohan (ed.), Ancient Indian Leaps into Mathematics, pages 55-61, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-0-8176-4695-0_4
    DOI: 10.1007/978-0-8176-4695-0_4
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