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From Sex to Quadratic Forms

In: An Invitation to Mathematics

Author

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  • Simon Norton

    (University of Cambridge, Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics)

Abstract

We start with an elementary problem and successively generalize it to reach an important area of mathematics, the theory of quadratic forms. Furthermore we describe a way of calculating the number of essentially different quadratic forms of any discriminant, the class number; this is a concept of great importance, which for example figured in early attempts to prove Fermat’s Last Theorem.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Norton, 2011. "From Sex to Quadratic Forms," Springer Books, in: Dierk Schleicher & Malte Lackmann (ed.), An Invitation to Mathematics, pages 21-41, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-642-19533-4_3
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-19533-4_3
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