The CTK Exchange Forums

CTK Exchange
Front Page
Movie shortcuts
Personal info
Awards
Reciprocal links
Terms of use
Privacy Policy

Cut The Knot!
MSET99 Talk
Games & Puzzles
Arithmetic/Algebra
Geometry
Probability
Eye Opener
Analog Gadgets
Inventor's Paradox
Did you know?...
Proofs
Math as Language
Things Impossible
My Logo
Math Poll
Other Math sit's
Guest book
News sit's

Recommend this site

CTK Exchange

Subject: "Fermat's Theorem (NOT his Little Theorem)"

Previous Topic | Next Topic

Conferences The CTK Exchange Thoughts and Suggestions Topic #19
Printer-friendly copy Email this topic to a friend
Reading Topic #19

Monty Phister

guest

Aug-24-07, 01:26 PM (EST)

"Fermat's Theorem (NOT his Little Theorem)"

Fermat's theorem of stationary points was sort of a precursor to calculus, in that it told how to find minima and maxima. But I don't seem to find his proof for the theorem. Did he publish one, or was it a conjecture on his part? Where can I find the (non calculus-based) proof?

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

alexb
Charter Member
2073 posts

Aug-24-07, 03:37 PM (EST)

Click to add this user to your buddy list

1. "RE: Fermat's Theorem (NOT his Little Theorem)"
In response to message #0

One of Fermat's letters to Pascal is titled "On Maxima and Minima" in

D. J. Struik, A Source Book In Mathematics, 1200-1800 and also in
D. E. Smith, A Source Book in Mathematics

Chances are the theorem is stated implicitly somewhere in this letter for a few particular cases. It does include a bit of primodial calculus.

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Conferences | Forums | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic

You may be curious to have a look at the old CTK Exchange archive.
Please do not post there.