Fermat's Last Theorem for polynomials over a field #
This file states and proves the Fermat's Last Theorem for polynomials over a field.
For n ≥ 3
not divisible by the characteristic of the coefficient field k
and (pairwise) nonzero
coprime polynomials a, b, c
(over a field) with a ^ n + b ^ n = c ^ n
,
all polynomials must be constants.
More generally, we can prove non-solvability of the Fermat-Catalan equation: there are no
non-constant polynomial solutions to the equation u * a ^ p + v * b ^ q + w * c ^ r = 0
, where
p, q, r ≥ 3
with p * q + q * r + r * p ≤ p * q * r
, p, q, r
not divisible by char k
,
and u, v, w
are nonzero elements in k
.
FLT is the special case where p = q = r = n
, u = v = 1
, and w = -1
.
The proof uses the Mason-Stothers theorem (Polynomial ABC theorem) and infinite descent (in the characteristic p case).
Nonsolvability of the Fermat-Catalan equation.