The greatest amateur mathematician,

                    I, Pierre de Fermat, was born in 1601 in Beaumont-de-Lomagne, France. As a son of flourishing leather merchant, I had no difficulty to become a successful lawyer. As you probably know, I never became a professional mathematician. However, facing mathematical challenge was the most interesting part of my life. 

                 I received my law degree from the University of Orleans and served as councilor to parliament beginning in 1634. However, as I mentioned, my real passion was on the mathematics. I am not saying I didn’t do my full responsibility for my law career. However, my best interests was on challenging mathematical problems to kill time because I didn’t have anything like PSP or Nintendo DS at that time. However, I am pretty sure even the great Newton should be thankful for me what so-called “amateur mathematician” achieved even 10 years before Newton was born. I am given credit for the development of modern calculus and the discovery of an original method of finding the greatest and the smallest ordinates of curved lines, which is analogous to that of the then unknown differential calculus, as well as my research into the theory of numbers.

               It is just too much to mention how much that I discovered and proved to help people who study mathematics. Although I carefully studied, and drew inspiration from Diophantus, I began a different tradition. Diophantus was content to find a single solution to my equations, even if it were an undesired fractional one. I was interested only in integer solutions to my diophantine equations, and I looked for all possible solutions. I also often proved that certain equations had no solution, which usually baffled my contemporaries.

              One thing I can definitely talk about is the proof technique of infinite descent, and a factorization method which has been named for me. I also developed the two-square theorem, and the polygonal number theorem, which states that each number is a sum of three triangular numbers, four square numbers, five pentagonal numbers, and so on.                  

              However, the funniest part of my life was that I was indulgent for proving my theories for my posterity. When I was writing so-called the last theorem of Fermat, there wasn’t enough space to write down every single formula to prove, I felt bothered to look for empty papers. As you know, I was just the amateur mathematician who have been doing mathematics for fun, though it was kind of maniac from the ordinary people’s point of view.

             My last theorem, “the equationxⁿ + yⁿ = zⁿ has no whole number solutions for n > 2. If n = 2.” However, as I remember, I said that ““I have a truly marvelous proof of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.” I didn’t know it would torture that many following mathematicians for three consecutive centuries. However, I am really glad that the guy, Andrew Wiles made a footnote to prove my theorem in 1994 and finally improved and corrected in 1997. I can’t believe how ignorant the modern mathematicians are for taking so much time to prove my theory.    

Work Cited

 

Moncrief, J.William. “Fermat, Pierre De.” Mathematics. Ed. Barry

Max Brandenberger, Jr. Vol.2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA,

2002. 53-54.4 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Thomson Gale.

Nassau Community College Library SUNY. 3 Nov. 2007

 

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sunynassau&version=1.0>.

 

“Pierre de Fermat.” Wikipedia.org. 30 Oct. 2007. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. 2

Nov. 07

 

< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_newton >.

 

The Proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem. TODD TIMMONS. Science and Its Times:

Understanding the Social Significance of Scientific Discovery. Eds. Josh Lauer and Neil Schlager. Vol. 7: 1950 To Present. 

Detroit: Gale, 2001. p192-195. 8 vols.