Abstract:
It is well known that Fermat's last Theorem, in general, is extremely difficult to prove
although the meaning of the theorem is very simple. It is surprising that the proof of
theorem for n = 3 ,the smallest, corresponding number, given by Leonard Euler, which
has been recommended for amateurs[!], is not only difficult but also has a gap in the
proof. Paulo Rebenboim claims[1] that he has patched up Euler's proof, which is very
difficult to understand, however. It was shown[2] that the parametric solution for the
x,y,z in the equation z3 = y3 +x3,(x,y) = 1 could be obtained easily with one necessary
condition that must be satisfied by the parameters. Fairly simple analytical proof of the
Fermat's last theorem for n = 3 was given [2] using this necessary condition. In this
contribution very much simpler proof is given ,which is very suitable for amateurs.
Fermat's last theorem for n = 3 can be stated as the equation
z3 = y3 + x3, (x,y) ·= 1. (1)
has no non-zero integral solution for (x,y,z). If we assume a non-zero( xyz * 0) solution
for (x,y,z) , then one of (x,y,z) is divisible by 3 . Since we can assume for (1) for
negative integers, without loss of generality one can assume that y is divisible by 3 .
Then if y = 3fJ ay, the parametric solution of (1), can be expressed as
X = 3fJ a()o + 03
y = 3fJ a()o + 33fJ-1a 3
z = 33fJ-1 a3 + 3fJ a()o + 83
and a necessary condition satisfied by the parameters is
()3 -83 -2.3fJ aoB -33[3-1a 3 =0
In this equation ,() is a factor of z, 8 is a factor of x and r = B5 + 32P-I a2
Proof of the Fermat's last theorem for n = 3
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Expressing 33/3-I a3 as 33/3-3 a3 + 8.33/3-3 and substituting e = 3fJ-1 g + o m (d),one gets
(g- 2a)(o2 +3fl-1go+32fl-3(g2 +2ag+4a2 ))=32fl-3a3 (2)
the condition,()= 3/3-l g + 8 is due to a simple lemma used in [2] from which it follows that f3 > 1 .It is easy to deduce that g-2a is divisible by 3 2/3-3 since (3, o) = 1 and fJ > 1 .
If a= ± 1 , then ,g = ±2+32P-3>0.
Now,
(82 + 3/3-l g8 + 32f3-\g2 +. 2ag + 4a2 ) = ±1
is never satisfied since (2) can be expressed as
3/3-1 2
(8 +-- g
)2 +32P-3(L+2g +4)= ±1
2 4
(3)
(4)
If a* ±1, we deduces from (2) that g-2a= 3 213-3s 3 where s* 1 and s is a factor of
a . This is because factor of g cannot be a factor of both 8 and a since B = 3/3-l g + 8
and a is a factor of y . Hence,
(5)
where a= sq, (s, q) = 1. Now, this quadratic equation ing must be satisfied by
2a +3 213-3s 3. If the roots of this quadratic are a1 and a
2
=2a + 32/3-3 s3, then
82 + 4a2 .32/3-3 _ q3 2a.32f3-3 + 3p-t8
ala
2 =
3213_3
, a1 + a
2
=-
3213_3
It is easy to obtain from
these two relations that
(6)
Hence, 2a + 3213-3s 3 is a factor of 82 + 4.a2 .32/3-3- q3 . In other words, 2a +3 2/3-3s 3
is a factor of the expression
(2a)3 -(2a)2 .8s33 2/3-3 -882s3
or, -32/3-3s 3 is an integral root of the equation
x3 -8s33213-3x2 -882s3= 0
(7)
(8)
This means that 32/3-3s 3 is a factor of 882. s3 which contradicts (3, 8)= 1 , that is
(3,x) = 1, and the proof of theorem is complete. It should be emphasized that the
necessary condition needed for our proof can be obtained without obtaining the
parametric solution of (1 ), making the proof given here much shorter.