An alternate proof of Cohn's four squares theorem. (Q1427983): Difference between revisions

The author gives a non-modular-functional proof of the representability of a totally positive integer of type \(u+2v\sqrt{2}\) as the sum of four squares. See [\textit{H. Cohn}, Decomposition into four integral squares in the fields of \(\sqrt{2}\) and \(\sqrt{3}\), Am. J. Math. 82, 301--322 (1960; Zbl 0097.03103)]. The procedure is a very sophisticated adaptation of his method for the field \(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})\), [see \textit{J. Deutsch}, Geometry of numbers proof of Götzky's four squares theorem, J. Number Theory 96, No. 2, 417--431 (2002; Zbl 1038.11022)] in which an algebraic prime \(p\) (easily) divides a rational \(1+ u^2+ v^2\) and from this a (small) multiple \(kp\) becomes the sum of four squares (by Minkowskian methods). To go to \(p\) as the sum of four squares requires factorization with special integral quaternions for \(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})\) [see \textit{M.-F. Vigneras}, Arithmétique des algèbres de quaternions (Lecture Notes in Mathematics 800, Springer, Berlin) (1980; Zbl 0422.12008)]. A similar adaptation is outlined for an alternate proof for \(\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})\).