Fermat's Last Theorem
No integer cubes sum to cubes
Fermat's Last Theorem is a mathematical proposition stating that no three positive integers can satisfy the equation aⁿ + bⁿ = cⁿ when n is greater than 2.
The French mathematician Pierre de Fermat famously wrote in 1637 that he had discovered a proof but that the margin of his book was too small to contain it.
The theorem resisted proof for over 350 years until Andrew Wiles finally proved it in 1995, making it one of the most celebrated results in the history of mathematics.
Readying for action
- exponentSuperscript showing power
- cubicOf three dimensions
- higher powersSupernatural governing entities
- factorizationDecomposing into multiplicative parts
Year before 1996
- PrincetonIvy League university
- peer reviewExpert evaluation before publication
- gapUnfilled space between
- correctionFixing of mistakes
Testable proposed explanation
- propositionStatement expressing a judgment
- postulateAssumed starting point
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
- suppositionBelief without proof
assumption · margin note · assertion · mathematical statement · seventeenth century · notebook · annotation
Reward for winning
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- solvedFound the answer to
- milestoneNotable event marking progress
prime
Readying for action
- exponentSuperscript showing power
- cubicOf three dimensions
- higher powersSupernatural governing entities
factorization · cyclotomic fields · natural numbers · counterexample
1995
Year before 1996
- PrincetonIvy League university
- peer reviewExpert evaluation before publication
- gapUnfilled space between
hypothesis
Testable proposed explanation
- propositionStatement expressing a judgment
- postulateAssumed starting point
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
supposition · assumption · margin note · assertion · mathematical statement · seventeenth century · notebook · annotation
prize
Reward for winning
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- solvedFound the answer to
Fermat's Last Theoremunsolved problems
theory, theorem, theoretical, theorize, theorist, theorists, theorems, Fermat