On certain permutation groups and sums of two squares (Q1941568)
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| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | On certain permutation groups and sums of two squares |
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On certain permutation groups and sums of two squares (English)
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13 March 2013
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Among the least known proofs for Fermat's Two-Squares Theorem according to which every prime number \(p \equiv 1 \bmod 4\) is the sum of two integral squares is perhaps due to \textit{J. F. Ritt} [Ann. Math. (2) 26, 202--204 (1925; JFM 51.0149.03)], who proves this result using permutations of \(p\) elements and the corresponding unramified covers of \(\mathbb P_1(\mathbb C)\). In the present article, this proof is investigated in detail, and it is shown that the basic idea is related to isogenies of the elliptic curve \(y^2 = x^4 - 1\).
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sums of two squares
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Fermat
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unramified covers
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permutations
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elliptic curve
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isogeny
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