It is impossible for any number which is a power greater than the second to be written as a sum of two like powers. I have a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.
About Pierre de Fermat
Pierre de Fermatwas a French mathematician who is given credit for early developments that led to infinitesimal calculus, including his technique of adequality. In particular, he is recognized for his discovery of an original method of finding the greatest and the smallest ordinates of curved lines, which is analogous to that of differential calculus, then unknown, and his research into number theory.
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More quotes from Pierre de Fermat
It is impossible for any number which is a power greater than the second to be written as a sum of two like powers. I have a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.
French mathematician and lawyer
But it is impossible to divide a cube into two cubes, or a fourth power into fourth powers, or generally any power beyond the square into like powers; of this I have found a remarkable demonstration. This margin is too narrow to contain it.
French mathematician and lawyer
I will share all of this with you whenever you wish.
French mathematician and lawyer
And perhaps, posterity will thank me for having shown it that the ancients did not know everything.
French mathematician and lawyer
I am more exempt and more distant than any man in the world.
French mathematician and lawyer
I have found a very great number of exceedingly beautiful theorems.
French mathematician and lawyer